NASCAR, ESPN & NHL Execs Announced as Speakers at Inaugural PromaxBDA Sports Media Marketing Summit

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Brian Jennings, the NHL's EVP of Marketing, Steve Phelps, CMO of NASCAR and Carol Kruse, SVP of Marketing at ESPN will serve as speakers at the inaugural PromaxBDA Sports Media Marketing Summit. The summit will take place at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York City on November 15 preceding the second annual PromaxBDA Sports Media Marketing Awards show.

"With the highest caliber executives lending their voice to this inaugural conference, the Sports Media Marketing Summit promises to be an exceptionally valuable, engaging and informative professional development event celebrating creativity, excellence and innovation in our industry," said Jonathan Block-Verk, president & CEO of PromaxBDA International.  "Whether you're driving tune-in, engagement or tickets at the turnstiles, this conference will help you learn how to more effectively and efficiently utilize the media and platforms at your disposal to target your marketing message."

Building on the successful awards program from last year, the summit is a new professional development event exploring the issues, trends and emerging opportunities affecting success in sports media marketing. The packed one-day event is an all-inclusive forum for common thought, bonding and community for sports media marketing and promotion executives. To register or for more information visit promaxbda.org/sportsmedia.

BRIAN JENNINGS: As executive vice president of marketing, Brian Jennings is responsible for the NHL's marketing, retail and licensing operations throughout North America. Under his leadership, this 'Integrated Marketing Team' is able to reach, promote and deliver a powerful NHL brand message with consistent and strategic communications throughout the organization and its business partners. Brian's strong leadership and knowledge of the NHL brand, combined with solid League-wide relationships, creates the success in integrating the brand and product lines among the NHL's business partners including TV rightsholders, licensees, sponsors and clubs.

Under Brian's leadership, the consumer products business unit has consistently generated more than $1 billion annually for the past three years. Most recently, Brian has been leading the project team that designed and ultimately operates the NHL Powered by Reebok flagship 6,700-square-foot retail store in New York City, which opened in October 2007.

His leadership achievements have been acknowledged throughout the industry, by Street & Smith's, by The Sporting Goods Business, who named him one of the "Top 40 Sports Executives under the Age of 40," as well as the 2009 Sports Emmy Awards, which recognized the 2009 Winter Classic Announcement for Outstanding Sports Promotional Announcement – Episodic.

CAROL KRUSE: Carol Kruse is senior vice president, marketing at ESPN spearheading all aspects of development, management and expansion of the ESPN brand. This includes the marketing of ESPN's extensive array of television, broadband, digital, mobile, radio and print assets, including studio and live sports programming. She also drives ESPN's social networking strategies.

In addition, Kruse oversees ESPN's internal creative services team, events team, customer care, and fan relationship marketing, while also driving the brand development and marketing of ESPN consumer products, the Winter and Summer X Games, ESPN Films, Grantland.com, and many others.

An avid athlete and sports fan, Kruse was recently named one of Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People in Business in 2011.

STEVE PHELPS: Steve Phelps is senior vice president and chief marketing officer for the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). He is also a member of the company's Executive Council.

Phelps oversees all NASCAR efforts in Integrated Marketing Communications, corporate marketing, brand/consumer marketing, licensing, automotive aftermarket, business development and NASCAR's digital and social media efforts. Phelps is based at NASCAR headquarters in Daytona Beach, Fla. and reports to Chairman/CEO Brian France.

Phelps has twice been named to Sports Business Journal's "Forty Under 40" list of influential executives in sports.

About PromaxBDA
PromaxBDA (promaxbda.org) is a global, non-profit association dedicated to being the leading resource for education, community, creative inspiration and career development for marketing, promotion and design professionals within the entertainment/information industry. PromaxBDA's mission is to lead the conversation about the role marketing, promotion and design play in the value of media across content platforms. With a combined membership of more than 3,000 companies and individuals drawn from more than 70 countries, PromaxBDA is a truly international organization uniting the individuals who will pioneer tomorrow's electronic and broadcast media.

Contact:
Brian Walker
[email protected]

SOURCE PromaxBDA