Sports Symposium

It is common knowledge that professional sports is a business. The amalgamation of profit, advertising, media, marketing, and consumer products, sports have moved from being an act of leisure to big entertainment businesses. Even amateur athletics are hardly immune to the influence of business enterprise on sports with the onset of pseudo-professional athletes sponsored by cereal companies and the like. Social Entrepreneurship has entered into the pure profit world as a countercultural movement promoting social cause and environmental care while making a profit in an attempt to improve the social world and conditions around the people it works.

A unique development across the globe in the past decade has seen the rise of social entrepreneurship ventures that use sports as the doorway for community care and social change, providing a vehicle to counteract the domination of sports by pure corporate interests. Moreover, many ventures are partnering with philanthropic professional and college sports teams through fundraising, exposure, volunteerism, and social responsibility.

This symposium will bring together academics, sports management leaders, non-profit workers, local community advocates, and social entrepreneurs to discuss avenues that have been successful in this fusion between sports, business, and social causes. We are interested in learning how both theoretically and practically the power of sports is used in redeeming communities and launching micro-enterprises, education programs, community development initiatives and the like amongst impoverished communities in America and around the world. The discussion will expose both academic and popular understandings of theory and practice in this most important and emerging trend in the sports realm.

Todd Bozes, Manager, Goodwill Stores of Lehigh Valley, Panel
Todd has been the Manager of the Goodwill Keystone Area Store and Donation Center in Fogelsville, PA since May 2009.  Prior to arriving at Goodwill, Todd began his professional career in the retail pharmacy industry, in which he worked for almost six years.  Through his background in retail management, Todd has also run successful fundraising campaigns for Goodwill Keystone Area and Children’s Miracle Network.  He has earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Writing and a Master of Science Degree in Nonprofit Management, both from Eastern University.  He has made previous presentations on topics such as strategic alliances between for-profit corporations and nonprofit organizations, the tax exempt status of college sports and the NCAA, and philanthropic habits of professional and Olympic athletes.  Todd has also served in several worship ministries as a percussionist and has over a decade of volunteer youth ministry experience.  Todd and his wife, Beth have a three year old son, Cole and reside in Fountain Hill, PA.  

Jim Britt, Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation, Workshop
Coach Britt is the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation, starting with the Foundation as its first employee in May 2005. Prior to his present position, Jim managed hockey and facility operations as the Hockey Director and General Manager of the Flyers Skate Zone in Northeast Philadelphia. He is a retired U.S. Postal Inspector, serving over 25 years throughout the United States in a variety of criminal investigative, security and internal audit assignments.   A Philadelphia native, Jim competed in several youth, scholastic and collegiate sports, and in 1971 was honored as a Scholar-Athlete by the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin. Jim has coached baseball, crew and ice hockey in Massachusetts and in the Philadelphia area, working with youth clubs and high schools.  He was part of the hockey staff at Holy Ghost Prep in Bensalem, PA for 9 years, including the 2003 AA Flyers Cup Champions. Jim is dedicated to mentoring and “growing the game”, and is very active with USA Hockey on the local and national level. He has been a member of the Atlantic District Coaching Education staff for 16 years and worked as the Assistant Festival Director of the National Select 14 Camp in Rochester for 5 years. In 1997, Jim attained the Level 4-Advanced Level Coaching certificate from USA Hockey.  He is a mentor and partner in the National Hockey League’s Hockey is For Everyone initiatives. In 2004, Jim was honored by the City of Philadelphia with the Brighter Futures Award. In recognition of his service to USA Hockey and the Atlantic District, he was honored as the 2007 Coach of the Year. In June 2008, Jim was honored with the Layman Award from the Philadelphia Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. In October, 2010, Jim was honored with the John Neumann Award from the Alumni Association of Neumann University. Jim serves on the Neumann University Business and Sport Management Advisory Councils, and is an active participant in Neumann’s Mentorship program. He also serves on the Advisory Council for Neumann’s Institute for Sport, Spirituality and Character Development, and on the Advisory Board of the Philadelphia Children’s Foundation.  Jim holds a baccalaureate degree in Sociology/Criminal Justice from LaSalle University and a Masters of Science degree in Sport Management from Neumann University.

Robert Brown, Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Accounting, New York Yankees, Plenary.
During the past twenty four years, Robert Brown has served in various financial roles in the New York Yankees organization. Mr. Brown joined the Yankees accounting department in 1989 as a staff accountant rising to the position of Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at present. Mr. Brown has used his unique platform to inform and encourage inner city youth to explore the other side of the playing field. Mr. Brown believes that the business of sports should be taught to young people during the same period they are learning the proper way to shoot free throws. Through his association with One Hundred Black Men of New York he carries his message to schools and youth centers though out the five boughs of New York City. 

Mr. Brown acknowledges that working in an organization like the Yankees has many benefits associated with success on the playing field. Such as guaranteed revenue streams for ticket sales, advertising and broadcast rights. But the greatest benefit is sharing that success with the community. Mr. Brown sees that first hand as a member of the New York Yankees Foundation board.
Mr. Brown has received many awards during his tenure with the Yankees but is most proud of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Spirit award for Business; he received from the NAACP of Long Island in 2012. Mr. Brown states that “the MLK, Jr. Spirit award sums up my core belief that good business serves the community we do business in”. Mr. Brown is a 1981 graduate of Eastern (College) University.

Rhunette Ferguson, D’brickashaw Ferguson Foundation, Panelist
Rhunette Ferguson was born in East Meadow, NY and attended Roosevelt High School, NY. She began her higher education at Nassau Community College and continued on to New York University where she obtained her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Nursing. Ferguson became a Neurosurgical Assistant Head Nurse at NYU Medical Center. Later, Ferguson changed careers and became a certified School Nurse Teacher in the Freeport School District. She taught health at the Atkinson School in Freeport, NY. Rhunette, also a Black Belt in Shotokhan Karate, was an assistant instructor at the Lighthouse School of Moon And Water, where she taught self-defense. Ferguson continued to build her resume and later became a Certified Diabetic Educator sharing her knowledge and skills freely among communities in Philadelphia PA. However, Ferguson’s desire to touch a greater number of children throughout the community was realized when she was hired as Executive Director of The D’Brickashaw Ferguson Foundation. Her son is an All-Pro Offensive Tackle for the New York Jets. Rhunette earned her Master’s degree from Eastern University in  Non Profit Management. In addition to her great strengths as a children educator, Ferguson teaches spiritual education as a Sunday School and Bible Studies Teacher at the Mother Bethel A.M.E Church in Philadelphia PA. Rhunette is the loving wife of Ed Ferguson Sr. and mother of two handsome sons, Edwin Ferguson Jr. and D’ Brickashaw Ferguson.

JoAnn Flett, M.B.A. Eastern University. Plenary
JoAnn Flett is a Lecturer in Management and Program Director of the MBA in Economic Development. Ms. Flett joined Eastern University faculty in 2009. She teaches courses in Business Ethics, Social Entrepreneurship, and Managerial Accounting. A native of Trinidad and Tobago, Ms. Flett has over 20 years of accounting and finance experience in industries that include: education, government, retirement communities, and commercial real estate. She has held senior accounting and management positions for several organizations including: Delaware County Community College, Dunwoody Village, Pura Vida Coffee, Agent General for Queensland (London, U.K.), Bettinger Mifflin Rich C.P.A. Group, and Spieker Properties. Her research interest is to examine the role of business in society. She is interested in business as a dominant social institution of influence and power in our world. Therefore, business that combines social mission and market activities to bring about societal change for ‘people at the base of the pyramid’ (BoP) is a form of business to explore. The fact that the BoP population is mostly to be found in developing countries only resonates with her Caribbean identity. Thanks to the fields of Social Entrepreneurship, Corporate Social Responsibility, Business as Mission, Business Ethics and Micro Finance there is now a whole body of research exploring how business can be used to address societal problems. Ms. Flett is currently board chair of Capital for Good Impact, an organization whose goal is to fund social entrepreneurship in the developing world. Contact Information: Phone: 610-341-1392 Fax: 610-341-1366 Email: jflett@eastern.edu

Seren Fryatt, Life and Change Experienced thru Sports (L.A.C.E.S.), Panelist
Ms. Fryatt is the founder and executive director of L.A.C.E.S. In 2006, while on location in West Africa for a medical mission, Seren had the opportunity to play professional soccer in Monrovia, Liberia. At this time Liberia had just come to the end of a brutal, 14-year civil war that had torn apart the social fabric of the country. Through the relationships she built with fellow teammates, Seren realized the impact sports can have in providing an avenue for restoration. Over the past five years, in partnership with local Liberian staff, L.A.C.E.S. has built a successful sports development model that empowers communities, parents, and churches to cultivate positive role models and provides them with the tools to make lasting change. Seren has worked in International Development for the last 6 years primarily in Liberia, West Africa.

Ed Hastings, Neumann University, Panelist
Dr. Hastings is the Scholar in Residence for the Institute for Sport, Spirituality and Character Development at Neumann University. He has been the Chaplain for the Knights' Men's Basketball team since coming to Neumann as the Director of the Center for Sport, Spirituality and Character Development in the fall of 1999. He provides personal and spiritual support to the student-athletes, coaches, and staff during the entire school year. His role is designed to be one of encouragement, vision and leadership. While being in concert with the coaches, he also maintains a special relationship with the captains of the men's basketball team in assisting to develop their role in leadership through the filter of discipleship. Chaplain Hastings is often called upon to provide a healthy, balanced perspective to the entire team, making athletics at Neumann College distinctive.  A graduate from Villanova University in General Arts, Dr. Hastings received his Masters and Doctorate degrees from Duquesne University in Spirituality. During his collegiate career, Hastings was a three year letterman at point guard and senior co-captain for the Villanova Wild Cats. He went on to join the Wildcats coaching staff in 1973 as an assistant coach under then head coach Rollie Massimino. Currently Dr. Hastings is a full professor at Neumann College teaching undergraduate and graduate students. He is a native of Philadelphia and resides in Glen Mills, PA.

Dr. Hillyer is co-director of the University of Tennessee Center for Sport, Peace, and Society and clinical assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sports Studies.  Sarah is the founder of Sport 4 Peace, a non-profit organization devoted to women’s empowerment and cross-cultural understanding through sports. She is an advocate for sports and peacebuilding and is considered one of the most passionate experts in the field. Sarah enjoys interacting with audiences in a way that encourages thoughtful dialogue and moves individuals to take action. She can be reached at http://sportandpeace.utk.edu or personally at shillyer@utk.edu

Ashleigh Huffman, PhD. University of Tennessee.  Workshop.
Dr. Huffman is co-director of the University of Tennessee Center for Sport, Peace, and Society and clinical assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sports Studies.  Ashleigh specializes in service-learning and sports as a tool for personal and community development, with an emphasis on displaced persons. She is a trusted advocate and leader in the community known for building bridges of peace and friendship between students and local refugees through sports-based collaboration.  She can be reached at http://sportandpeace.utk.edu or personally at ahuffman@utk.edu

Nathan Martin, Timoteo Football, Panelist
Mr. Martin is a co-founder of the Timoteo Football Program in North Philadelphia. Timoteo officially began in the spring of 2005.  The idea for Timoteo was inspired by II Timothy 2:1 which states “You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”  Timoteo was created to reach out in love with the Gospel to the many male youth of the Kensington community through football.  The leadership team placed Christian men who are actively involved in a local church on the teams as coaches to be examples and father figures to the youth.  The coaches would then spend quality time investing in the youth, talking and building relationships with them and leading them in informal, interactive Bible studies.  Timoteo was not created to drag kids into a church building but rather to serve them, spend time with them, hang out, and provide the gospel in their context, while doing something that they love to do – play football.

Lori McClure, Panelist, Organizational Presentation
Ms. McClure is the Owner/Partner of JMLP Associates, LLC and Assistant Director of Access Sports. JMLP Associates, LLC is focused on providing high-quality assessments, training and coaching to strengthen management and offer strategic solutions to issues that block organizations in growth and development. We also provide coaching and resources on designing and developing new organizations. We take your "what" and coach you on the "how". We specialize in bringing strategies and training to organizations to bring about inclusive programming for those with special needs.

Ryan McGonigle, Director of US operations, CTC Ten Foundation, Franklin and Marshall College, Panelist
A 2008 graduate of Franklin & Marshall, Mr.McGonigle servea as the Program Director of Squash ACES in 2012-13. Squash ACES is an after-school enrichment program for students from Reynolds Middle School, providing academic support and teaching squash to the Reynolds students. McGonigle also works as the Acting Assistant Director for The Ware Institute for Civic Engagement and as an assistant men's soccer coach at F&M. Following his graduation in 2008, McGonigle worked at the Chris Campbell Memorial Field in Khayelitsha, South Africa and continues to serve as Director of U.S. Operations for the CTC Ten Foundation. While in South Africa, he co-founded AMANDLA EduFootball, a non-profit organization managing ongoing programs at Chris Campbell Memorial Field in partnership with CTC Ten. On the soccer pitch, McGonigle completed his career as one of the most decorated players in program history. In 2007, he earned Second Team All-Region accolades and was named to the All-Centennial Conference (CC) First Team as a senior. McGonigle's name remains scattered across the all-time men's soccer record books. He still holds the single-season record for most points (38) and sits atop the list in penalty kicks attempted and made (5-for-5). He ranks third in goals per game (0.48), game-winning goals (6), and assists per game (0.26), fourth in points per game (1.22), sixth in career points (66), and seventh in career goals (26).

Troy Pappas
Troy has over thirty years of experience in executive management, business development, operations and marketing. He is the founder and President of World Athlete, a sports, fitness and recreation management company based in Mt. Laurel, NJ. Previously, he was the CEO of Mediplex Rehabilitation Hospital in Marlton, NJ. He also managed hospital divisions in Bridgeport, CT and Providence, RI and has held management positions with Blue Cross Blue Shield affiliates in Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Since 2008, Troy has taught entrepreneurship as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the College of Health Professions of Temple University. Previously, he was an instructor with a dual appointment at the Fox School of Business and the School of Tourism and Hospitality at Temple. He has also taught at Philadelphia University and Rutgers-Camden. Teaching at both the graduate and undergraduate level, his areas of interest include Business Strategy, Internet Marketing and Sports Management. 

He is the current President of the Burlington County Track and Field Coaches Association. Since 2003, he has been the Boy’s Track Coach at Moorestown High School. He has coached 2 relay teams at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals, 17 New Jersey Meet of Champion qualifiers, six county champions and two sectional champions in the last 10 years. He is the founding meet director of the Moorestown Invitational track meet. In 2004, he was an Assistant Boy’s Basketball Coach for Lenape High School when it won the NJ Group 4 State Championship with a 28-0 record. Jason Thompson, the center of that championship team, now plays for the Sacramento Kings.

Troy earned his B.A.in Biology and Economics from Bucknell University and holds a Master in Public Health from Yale University. His wife and three children live in Mt. Laurel.

Steven Robertson, Managing Director of Operations and Human Resources. The Julian Krinsky Group, Workshop
 Steven Robertson is an athlete, entrepreneur and international businessman. Over the past 20 years, he has owned a professional sport academy, trained elite athletes from all over the world, managed thousands of employees and pioneered sports and academic programs at universities across the country. Born in South Africa, Steven grew up an avid tennis player.  After high school, military service and a brief stint as Sales Director for a major diamond broker in South Africa, he founded and served as CEO of the Robertson Sports Academy.  Not only was this academy a place where premier players came to train, but it was also a venue wherein Steven could spread his enthusiasm for sport to the coaches across the country who came to participate in national accreditation programs. In 1998, Steven joined The Julian Krinsky Group, a firm founded by another South African with strong ties to the tennis world. The Julian Krinsky Group was formed to create high quality, innovative sports and educational experiences for young people. Steven currently serves as the Julian Krinsky Group’s Managing Director of Operations for twenty-three different summer programs. His responsibilities include hiring over five hundred staff each year from more than twenty different countries.  He directs the Group’s staff consulting division, dealing with camps, ski resorts and country clubs on immigration, sourcing, staff recruiting and training issues.

Howard C. Stevenson, Ph.D. Panelist
Dr. Stevenson is an associate professor and former chair of the Applied Psychology and Human Development Division at the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania. From 1994 to 2002, he was faculty master of the W. E. B. DuBois College House at Penn. In 1993, Dr. Stevenson received the W. T. Grant Foundation’s Faculty Scholar Award, a national research award given to only five researchers per year which funds five years of research. In 1994, Dr. Stevenson was a Presidential Fellow at the Salzburg Seminar in American Studies, where 35 other community activists and researchers from 30 countries to present their community health intervention projects. In 1995, Dr. Stevenson served on a 12-member academic panel to consult on the development of a National Strategic Action Plan for African-American Males, sponsored by the National Drug Control Policy Office in the Office of the President. Dr. Stevenson has 25 years of experience as a clinical supervisor and therapist in family and child psychotherapy and has served as an administrator of residential treatment centers for emotionally disturbed adolescents with Delaware’s Division of Child Mental Health.

“Sports Trainers and Measuring Success: A Growing Movement in Varsity Sports” Mike Walker, Asst. Athletic Director at Delaware County Christian School locally in Newtown Square, PA

“The Math of Basketball: Tutoring Inner City Boys” Byron Greene,” Drexel University

“Social-Change Soccer”, Abby Rudman, Eastern University, Starfinders

Registration is required. Please click HERE to register for this event.