Speakers & Panelists
Howe Burch
Howe Burch is an innovative, highly accomplished marketing communications and sports marketing executive with extensive, global client and agency-side experience.
He currently serves as Executive VP/Sports & Entertainment at TBC Advertising. In this capacity, Howe will lead the agency’s integrated marketing capabilities for the agency and its clients across all disciplines and all media platforms, while expanding the firm’s presence in the areas of sports and entertainment marketing, event marketing, sponsorship activation and strategic partnerships.
Previously, Howe was a partner in PERRYBURCH a sports and entertainment marketing consultancy that he co-founded and whose clients included the sports practice at Williams and Connolly which represents NBA stars Tim Duncan, Grant Hill and Ray Allen, Fila, World Team Tennis and its founder Billie Jean King. He has also consulted on sports marketing initiatives for sportswear brands Under Armour and Le Coq Sportif.
Howe launched PERRYBURCH after serving as VP Marketing, U.S. for Reebok International where he led the planning and implementation of a fully integrated marketing program for the company’s largest subsidiary. He also led brand enhancement programs linked to the company’s sponsorship of the NFL as well as athlete icons Peyton Manning and Allan Iverson.
He earlier served for 12 years as SVP Marketing Communications and Sports Marketing at Fila, where he was directly responsible for retaining and marketing Grant Hill, one of the most highly acclaimed sports marketing case histories in the athletic footwear industry.
His integrated sports marketing programs drove global Fila sales from approximately $400 million to nearly $1 billion within three years. In selecting athletes, events, and strategic partners that embodied the essence of the Fila brand, Howe implemented extremely focused, high return sponsorship programs that broadened the brand far beyond its urban core. During his time with the company, he led marketing programs around renowned athletes including Derek Jeter, Barry Bonds, Chris Webber and Jennifer Capriati.
Howe began his career in advertising account management, rising to SVP Group Account Director at Doner Advertising, the largest independently owned agency in the country.
He has been recognized by Advertising Age in their “Marketing 100” as one of the world’s top marketing professionals and was named to the Sporting News list of “The Top 100 Most Powerful People in Sports.”
A graduate of Towson University, Howe has lectured on the Business of Sport and Integrated Marketing Communications at leading academic institutions including Duke University, Georgetown University, NYU, Northeastern, Loyola College and George Washington University.
Howe is an avid surfer and runner and lives in Baltimore with his wife Debra and son Reid.
Chartese Burnett
Chartese Burnett currently serves as Vice President of Communications for the Washington Nationals Baseball Club. She is responsible for leading the team’s efforts in public relations, media relations, and community relations. Chartese represents the organization to the media and community by acting as spokesperson for the club. She plans and implements the Nationals’ public relations strategies, policies, and procedures.
Prior to coming to the Nationals, Chartese enjoyed a brief tenure with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as Special Assistant to the Assistant Administrator for Public Affairs. At NASA, Chartese was responsible for leading Public Affairs programs, including Special Events, Astronaut Appearances, Exhibits, Visual Identity, and Space Shuttle Launch Guest Operations. Before then, Chartese served five years as Assistant Vice President of Communications for PLAYERS INC, the licensing and marketing for-profit arm of the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA). From 1991-1993, Burnett was Assistant Media Relations Director with the National Basketball Association (NBA) in New York. Chartese began her career in sports communications at her alma mater Georgetown University in 1987, where she served four years in the Sports Information Office, before departing as Director of Sports Information in 1991.
Burnett resides in Prince George’s County Maryland with her husband Paul and daughters Lisette and Giovanna.
Kevin Conley
Kevin handles the daily execution of key sports poll accounts and projects managing all phases of market research projects from initial specifications to the final presentation. Current clients include NHL, Arena Football League, Anheuser-Busch, Sprint, SunTrust, Proctor & Gamble, NFL and ESPN.
Kevin has worked on marketing research projects in the US and globally, covering customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, segmentation, product testing, media exposure research, focus groups, and on-site event research. The research has spanned a range of industries including sports, consumer goods, public utilities and computers.
Kevin began his marketing research career with The Working Data Group, as a Project Director. He joined TNS in 1999. Kevin earned a B.A. in Economics from Rutgers University and a M.A. in Public Administration from North Caroline Univeristy.
Scott Keshanech
Scott Keshanech is a Vice President and member of the Advanced Analytics and Design Group at TNS. As such, he manages a team of statistical analysts who perform a variety of multivariate statistical analyses associated with client projects. In addition, he works as a consultant for both colleagues and external clients, recommending appropriate research methodologies including qualitative, quantitative, and statistical techniques. He is actively involved in presentations and proposals related to both existing and future projects for our clients.
Mr. Keshanech graduated summa cum laude from Towson State University in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and a computer science concentration. He received his graduate degree in applied statistics from The Ohio State University in 1993. While completing his graduate studies, he taught several undergraduate courses in statistics and participated as a member of the OSU Statistical Consulting Service. He has since worked in the marketing research industry for the past fourteen years. He began at National Analysts in Philadelphia, where he acted as a statistical programmer in the Analytic Department. In 1995, he joined Response Analysis Corporation as a senior statistician. At RAC, he was chiefly responsible for all projects involving multivariate analytic techniques. He acted as a statistical consultant for both clients and internal colleagues. He was also responsible for the training and management of a number of statistical assistants within the department. Prior to joining Taylor Nelson Sofres in February of 1999, he served as the Director of Statistical Methods at Research by Design, a pharmaceutical research firm. He is currently an active member of the American Statistical Association.
Kevin Healey
After nine seasons as General Manager of the Baltimore Blast, Kevin Healey has three Major Indoor Soccer League Titles and numerous successful player acquisitions under his belt.
With his hard work and dedication to the franchise, he led the Blast to back-to-back championships in 2003 and 2004 and then went on to win another championship last season.
Healey was named General Manager and Head Coach of the Baltimore Blast prior to the 1998-99 season and spent just over four seasons in both positions while compiling an 87-88 record in 175 games. His 87 regular season wins gave him the most regular-season wins of any of the five coaches in the team's 10-year history. He currently serves as the team’s general manager.
A graduate of Baltimore's Loyola College, Healey played for the 1976 NCAA Division II National Champion Greyhounds. His soccer record over the past two decades includes seven national indoor youth and senior amateur titles as well as the presidency of two soccer leagues.
Healey, along with Blast owner Ed Hale, was instrumental in the resurgence of the Blast's community involvement and outreach program. In his time at the helm, Healey has insured that the team's community involvement increase and that the Blast re-establish itself as Baltimore's most fan-friendly professional sports team.
Before joining the Blast, Healey spent five years as Head Coach of the USISL Baltimore Bays. He led the Bays to five division championships, three consecutive league titles and was named "Coach of the Year" by the USISL for three consecutive seasons.
Stacie Wentz
Stacie Wentz joined US Lacrosse in April, 2005. Wentz currently serves as the National Teams Coordinator, where she manages the U.S. National Team Program (5 Teams-Men and Women). Her responsibilities include event management, marketing, alumni relations, team travel, and various other duties.
Prior to working at US Lacrosse, Wentz was employed at Louisiana State University as the Assistant Director of the Shaquille O’Neal CHAMPS/Life Skills program. There she was responsible for leadership development, career development, and community service of student-athletes. She was also the advisor to the campus’s student-athlete advisory committee.
In 2003-04, Wentz was a governance intern at the NCAA National office. She is also a former member of the NCAA Division III National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and NCAA Research Committee.
Stacie is a 2001 magna cum laude graduate of Salisbury University with a degree in Physical Education and a minor in Business Administration. That year, she won a MAHPERD Most Outstanding Student Award. While at Salisbury, she was a member of the university’s cross country and track teams. Following graduation, Wentz received a NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship for Women and Ethnic Minorities for Careers in Athletics. In 2003, she obtained a master’s degree in Sports Management from West Virginia University serving as an instructor in the department of Physical Education and interned in athletic counseling with the athletic department.
A native of York, PA, Wentz, 28, resides in Baltimore, MD.
Kendy Chan
Kendy Chan enters his fifth season with S.A.F.E. Management after originally joining the team as a part time supervisor/ event manager in June 2002. Kendy was promoted to Director of Event Operations in June 2003. His duties involve coordinating staffing and scheduling for events at a variety of locations, coordinate events and develop security and crowd management strategies for events working closely with facility personnel and police, fire marshals, parking personnel, medical staff and entertainment/ team representatives. In addition, Kendy also manage vital event functions and staff as they relate to security, crowd management and guest services and also provide on-the-job training and supervision of team members.
During Kendy’s professional career, he has been involved in building a S.A.F.E. Management foundation in Jacksonville, Florida, opening of Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, Equestrian Center, and developing new business opportunities, which included Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at University of Florida. Starting in 2005, Kendy has played a vital role in Super Bowl XXXIX through XLII. His responsibilities involve coordinating staffing and scheduling for the Pepsi Smash Concert Series. He also coordinated and trained all team members involving each of the Super Bowls pertaining to guest services and security. Kendy’s involvement during Super Bowl game day consists of Director of Gates, Media Operations, NFL Tailgate, and Stadium Operations. Prior to joining the S.A.F.E. Management on a full time basis in 2002, he was the Event Manager for Towson University from 1996-2002 in Baltimore, Maryland.
Chris Therkildsen
Chris Therkildsen is a 2003 Graduate from East Carolina University, in Greenville, NC with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing. He then continued his education at East Carolina graduating in 2006 with his Masters from the Bate School of Business. After graduation, Chris joined The Leffler Agency, a full-service advertising agency, in 2006, after serving as an intern the pervious year.
His role as an account executive allows him to develop advertising campaigns for clients such as Maryland Jockey Club including Pimlico and Laurel Racetracks, Preakness, Colonial Downs Racetrack, and the Baltimore and Washington Examiner newspapers. Last but not least, Chris is the lead account executive for Towson University Athletics and played an integral roll in the creation of the “Saturdays at the U” campaign for the football program. He is originally from Middletown, MD and currently resides in Patterson Park.
Ravens Panel:
Melanie LeGrande
Melanie LeGrande, Community Relations Manager for the Baltimore Ravens, enters her 5th season with the team in 2008. She holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from nearby Morgan State University, and a master’s in sports administration from Georgia State University in the heart of Atlanta. Internships helped her to reach her goals, as she spent time with the Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins before taking on a full-time position with the Ravens, where she interned during the team’s Super Bowl run in 2000.
As community relations manager, she serves as the liaison between the team (players, staff, coaches) and the community. Duties include managing appearance and donation requests, creating and implementing player programs in the community and serving as a point of contact for corporate community partnerships. She is also on the board of directors of the team’s charitable arm, the Ravens All Community Team Foundation, which focuses on programs that help youth and families with various needs, including housing, hunger, education and athletics.
Ed Carroll
Ed Carroll, the 2003 NFL Equipment Manager of the Year, is in his 19th year with the franchise, his 18th as the team’s equipment manager. Ed has become a virtual radio icon with his almost daily appearances on various morning drive-time talk shows at training camp. His anecdotes and sense of humor are legendary. Nicknamed “Eddo” by the players, Carroll’s best career memory is the Super Bowl XXXV victory in 2000 and his ability to share and celebrate the moment with his wife and children.
1996-2008: (with Baltimore) Ed supervises all of the Ravens’ football equipment needs from outfitting the players with game uniforms to providing footballs and other practice equipment, as well as supplying the coaches and players with a NFL-required supply of Ravens gear for the sidelines and workouts...Carroll is responsible for the safety of the players by providing each individual athlete with the proper equipment adjusted appropriately for each player on the field.
2003: Was named Equipment Manager of the Year.
1996: The Cleveland native moved to Baltimore with the team.
1990-95: (with Cleveland) 1995: Was asked to move with the team to Baltimore.
1990: Carroll rejoined the Browns as equipment manager.
1984-90: Carroll spent 6 years as a sales representative for Riddell, the official helmet supplier of the NFL...He handled Riddell promotions for NFL teams and colleges from the Pac 10 and other conferences in 13 western states...While at Riddell, Carroll learned the mechanics of the equipment and its proper function.
1983: (with Cleveland) Hired as the Browns’ assistant equipment manager.
1971-82: Was originally exposed to sports equipment when he assisted his longtime friend, and former Notre Dame All-America QB Tom Schoen, who bought Olympic Sports, a sporting goods store in Cleveland.
PERSONAL: Each year, one of the highlights of the Ravens’ Purple program, developed specifically for the team’s female fans, is the football equipment presentation Carroll gives at the annual event...He has also contributed as a fan forum guest speaker at the team’s annual Spring Football Festival at M&T Bank Stadium...Among the NFL committees on which Carroll has served are the NFL Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries Committee, where equipment managers determine ways to help lessen concussions, and the NFL Equipment Managers Committee, on which he currently serves...The committee reviews new sports products before they are marketed...Attended Euclid (OH) HS...Carroll spent 4 years in the United States Air Force as an air traffic controller stationed at Wasserkuppe Mountain, Germany...He has 2 sons, Jason and Adam, and 2 grandchildren, Adam and Katelyn...Ed and his wife, Suzanne, live in Westminster, MD.
CAREER BACKGROUND: 1971-82 (Olympic Sports); 1984-90 (Riddell); 1991-95 (Cleveland Browns); 1996-2008 (Baltimore Ravens)
Marty Teller
The 2008 season will be Marty’s fourth season with the Ravens and first as a Ravens Account Executive. Marty began his career as an intern in the Premium Services department during the 2005 season working to improve the overall gameday experience for suiteholders. In 2006, Marty was hired full-time as a Premium Services Assistant and in 2007, was promoted to Corporate Sales Coordinator where he continued his day-to-day suite operation duties but also provided the sales staff with support.
This season Marty joined the Regional Sales team where he spends his time working to build partnerships with local companies via networking, cold calls, and referrals. Through his time with the team, Marty has helped the Ravens suite level to remain sold-out and grow Corporate Sales revenue by almost twenty percent. Prior to joining the Ravens, he attended the University of Tampa where he graduated with a degree in Business Management. Marty is originally from the great state of New Jersey and enjoys traveling, sports, and movies. He currently resides in Perry Hall, MD.
Megan Collins
Megan Collins has been with the Baltimore Ravens since June 2002 when she started out as a Training Camp intern. Over the past six and half years she has worked her way up to Events and Entertainment Manger. Her duties include organizing and executing all the large scale events for the team from Spring Football Festival to the entertainment aspects of gameday as well as managing the cheerleaders, band, mascots and Playmakers.
Megan is a 2002 graduate of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill were she majored in Journalism and Mass Communications with a concentration in PR and where she worked for the Athletic Communications department for three years while at UNC.
Brad Downs
Brad Downs will enter his 7th season with the Ravens in 2008. This is his first season as Account Executive (National Sales). Prior to moving into the Account Executive role with the Ravens, Brad worked as a Marketing/Promotions Manager. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Robert Morris University as a Sport Management Major. While attending Robert Morris, Brad completed an internship with the Ravens. After Graduation, he went to work at Adelphia Business Solutions as a Regional Marketing Manager (South Region). While at Adelphia, a primary responsibility was to manage the company’s naming rights partnership with the Tennessee Titans and Adelphia Coliseum.
In his time with the Ravens, Brad has been involved in almost every phase of Marketing and Promotions, ranging from event management, to supervision of multiple fan development initiatives, to creating branding opportunities and enhancing the Gameday experience. In 2007, Brad began working exclusively with the corporate sales department in a Manager of Promotions role. Here, he created, organized and fulfilled all aspects of promotions as related to sponsors and potential sponsors. Beginning this year, Brad has moved into a sales role with the Ravens National Sales team. In this role, he is responsible for managing existing national accounts, as well as establishing new partners with the team.
Brad is originally from Williamsport Maryland, and currently resides in Owings Mills, MD.
Howe Burch
 |
Howe Burch |
| Executive VP/Sports & Entertainment | |
| TBC Advertising |
Howe Burch is an innovative, highly accomplished marketing communications and sports marketing executive with extensive, global client and agency-side experience.
He currently serves as Executive VP/Sports & Entertainment at TBC Advertising. In this capacity, Howe will lead the agency’s integrated marketing capabilities for the agency and its clients across all disciplines and all media platforms, while expanding the firm’s presence in the areas of sports and entertainment marketing, event marketing, sponsorship activation and strategic partnerships.
Previously, Howe was a partner in PERRYBURCH a sports and entertainment marketing consultancy that he co-founded and whose clients included the sports practice at Williams and Connolly which represents NBA stars Tim Duncan, Grant Hill and Ray Allen, Fila, World Team Tennis and its founder Billie Jean King. He has also consulted on sports marketing initiatives for sportswear brands Under Armour and Le Coq Sportif.
Howe launched PERRYBURCH after serving as VP Marketing, U.S. for Reebok International where he led the planning and implementation of a fully integrated marketing program for the company’s largest subsidiary. He also led brand enhancement programs linked to the company’s sponsorship of the NFL as well as athlete icons Peyton Manning and Allan Iverson.
He earlier served for 12 years as SVP Marketing Communications and Sports Marketing at Fila, where he was directly responsible for retaining and marketing Grant Hill, one of the most highly acclaimed sports marketing case histories in the athletic footwear industry.
His integrated sports marketing programs drove global Fila sales from approximately $400 million to nearly $1 billion within three years. In selecting athletes, events, and strategic partners that embodied the essence of the Fila brand, Howe implemented extremely focused, high return sponsorship programs that broadened the brand far beyond its urban core. During his time with the company, he led marketing programs around renowned athletes including Derek Jeter, Barry Bonds, Chris Webber and Jennifer Capriati.
Howe began his career in advertising account management, rising to SVP Group Account Director at Doner Advertising, the largest independently owned agency in the country.
He has been recognized by Advertising Age in their “Marketing 100” as one of the world’s top marketing professionals and was named to the Sporting News list of “The Top 100 Most Powerful People in Sports.”
A graduate of Towson University, Howe has lectured on the Business of Sport and Integrated Marketing Communications at leading academic institutions including Duke University, Georgetown University, NYU, Northeastern, Loyola College and George Washington University.
Howe is an avid surfer and runner and lives in Baltimore with his wife Debra and son Reid.
Chartese Burnett
 |
Chartese Burnett |
| Vice President of Communications | |
| Washington Nationals |
Chartese Burnett currently serves as Vice President of Communications for the Washington Nationals Baseball Club. She is responsible for leading the team’s efforts in public relations, media relations, and community relations. Chartese represents the organization to the media and community by acting as spokesperson for the club. She plans and implements the Nationals’ public relations strategies, policies, and procedures.
Prior to coming to the Nationals, Chartese enjoyed a brief tenure with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as Special Assistant to the Assistant Administrator for Public Affairs. At NASA, Chartese was responsible for leading Public Affairs programs, including Special Events, Astronaut Appearances, Exhibits, Visual Identity, and Space Shuttle Launch Guest Operations. Before then, Chartese served five years as Assistant Vice President of Communications for PLAYERS INC, the licensing and marketing for-profit arm of the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA). From 1991-1993, Burnett was Assistant Media Relations Director with the National Basketball Association (NBA) in New York. Chartese began her career in sports communications at her alma mater Georgetown University in 1987, where she served four years in the Sports Information Office, before departing as Director of Sports Information in 1991.
Burnett resides in Prince George’s County Maryland with her husband Paul and daughters Lisette and Giovanna.
Kevin Conley
 |
Kevin Conley |
| Research Manager | |
| Taylor Nelson Sofres, U.S.A. |
Kevin handles the daily execution of key sports poll accounts and projects managing all phases of market research projects from initial specifications to the final presentation. Current clients include NHL, Arena Football League, Anheuser-Busch, Sprint, SunTrust, Proctor & Gamble, NFL and ESPN.
Kevin has worked on marketing research projects in the US and globally, covering customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, segmentation, product testing, media exposure research, focus groups, and on-site event research. The research has spanned a range of industries including sports, consumer goods, public utilities and computers.
Kevin began his marketing research career with The Working Data Group, as a Project Director. He joined TNS in 1999. Kevin earned a B.A. in Economics from Rutgers University and a M.A. in Public Administration from North Caroline Univeristy.
Scott Keshanech
 |
Scott Keshanech |
| Vice President, Advanced Analytics & Design | |
| Taylor Nelson Sofres, U.S.A. |
Scott Keshanech is a Vice President and member of the Advanced Analytics and Design Group at TNS. As such, he manages a team of statistical analysts who perform a variety of multivariate statistical analyses associated with client projects. In addition, he works as a consultant for both colleagues and external clients, recommending appropriate research methodologies including qualitative, quantitative, and statistical techniques. He is actively involved in presentations and proposals related to both existing and future projects for our clients.
Mr. Keshanech graduated summa cum laude from Towson State University in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and a computer science concentration. He received his graduate degree in applied statistics from The Ohio State University in 1993. While completing his graduate studies, he taught several undergraduate courses in statistics and participated as a member of the OSU Statistical Consulting Service. He has since worked in the marketing research industry for the past fourteen years. He began at National Analysts in Philadelphia, where he acted as a statistical programmer in the Analytic Department. In 1995, he joined Response Analysis Corporation as a senior statistician. At RAC, he was chiefly responsible for all projects involving multivariate analytic techniques. He acted as a statistical consultant for both clients and internal colleagues. He was also responsible for the training and management of a number of statistical assistants within the department. Prior to joining Taylor Nelson Sofres in February of 1999, he served as the Director of Statistical Methods at Research by Design, a pharmaceutical research firm. He is currently an active member of the American Statistical Association.
Kevin Healey
 |
Kevin Healey |
| President & General Manager | |
| Baltimore Blast |
After nine seasons as General Manager of the Baltimore Blast, Kevin Healey has three Major Indoor Soccer League Titles and numerous successful player acquisitions under his belt.
With his hard work and dedication to the franchise, he led the Blast to back-to-back championships in 2003 and 2004 and then went on to win another championship last season.
Healey was named General Manager and Head Coach of the Baltimore Blast prior to the 1998-99 season and spent just over four seasons in both positions while compiling an 87-88 record in 175 games. His 87 regular season wins gave him the most regular-season wins of any of the five coaches in the team's 10-year history. He currently serves as the team’s general manager.
A graduate of Baltimore's Loyola College, Healey played for the 1976 NCAA Division II National Champion Greyhounds. His soccer record over the past two decades includes seven national indoor youth and senior amateur titles as well as the presidency of two soccer leagues.
Healey, along with Blast owner Ed Hale, was instrumental in the resurgence of the Blast's community involvement and outreach program. In his time at the helm, Healey has insured that the team's community involvement increase and that the Blast re-establish itself as Baltimore's most fan-friendly professional sports team.
Before joining the Blast, Healey spent five years as Head Coach of the USISL Baltimore Bays. He led the Bays to five division championships, three consecutive league titles and was named "Coach of the Year" by the USISL for three consecutive seasons.
Stacie Wentz
 |
Stacie Wentz |
| National Teams Coordinator | |
| US Lacrosse |
Stacie Wentz joined US Lacrosse in April, 2005. Wentz currently serves as the National Teams Coordinator, where she manages the U.S. National Team Program (5 Teams-Men and Women). Her responsibilities include event management, marketing, alumni relations, team travel, and various other duties.
Prior to working at US Lacrosse, Wentz was employed at Louisiana State University as the Assistant Director of the Shaquille O’Neal CHAMPS/Life Skills program. There she was responsible for leadership development, career development, and community service of student-athletes. She was also the advisor to the campus’s student-athlete advisory committee.
In 2003-04, Wentz was a governance intern at the NCAA National office. She is also a former member of the NCAA Division III National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and NCAA Research Committee.
Stacie is a 2001 magna cum laude graduate of Salisbury University with a degree in Physical Education and a minor in Business Administration. That year, she won a MAHPERD Most Outstanding Student Award. While at Salisbury, she was a member of the university’s cross country and track teams. Following graduation, Wentz received a NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship for Women and Ethnic Minorities for Careers in Athletics. In 2003, she obtained a master’s degree in Sports Management from West Virginia University serving as an instructor in the department of Physical Education and interned in athletic counseling with the athletic department.
A native of York, PA, Wentz, 28, resides in Baltimore, MD.
Kendy Chan
 |
Kendy Chan |
| Director of Operations | |
| S.A.F.E. Management/M&T Bank Stadium |
Kendy Chan enters his fifth season with S.A.F.E. Management after originally joining the team as a part time supervisor/ event manager in June 2002. Kendy was promoted to Director of Event Operations in June 2003. His duties involve coordinating staffing and scheduling for events at a variety of locations, coordinate events and develop security and crowd management strategies for events working closely with facility personnel and police, fire marshals, parking personnel, medical staff and entertainment/ team representatives. In addition, Kendy also manage vital event functions and staff as they relate to security, crowd management and guest services and also provide on-the-job training and supervision of team members.
During Kendy’s professional career, he has been involved in building a S.A.F.E. Management foundation in Jacksonville, Florida, opening of Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, Equestrian Center, and developing new business opportunities, which included Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at University of Florida. Starting in 2005, Kendy has played a vital role in Super Bowl XXXIX through XLII. His responsibilities involve coordinating staffing and scheduling for the Pepsi Smash Concert Series. He also coordinated and trained all team members involving each of the Super Bowls pertaining to guest services and security. Kendy’s involvement during Super Bowl game day consists of Director of Gates, Media Operations, NFL Tailgate, and Stadium Operations. Prior to joining the S.A.F.E. Management on a full time basis in 2002, he was the Event Manager for Towson University from 1996-2002 in Baltimore, Maryland.
Chris Therkildsen
| Chris Therkildsen | |
| Account Executive | |
| The Leffler Agency |
Chris Therkildsen is a 2003 Graduate from East Carolina University, in Greenville, NC with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing. He then continued his education at East Carolina graduating in 2006 with his Masters from the Bate School of Business. After graduation, Chris joined The Leffler Agency, a full-service advertising agency, in 2006, after serving as an intern the pervious year.
His role as an account executive allows him to develop advertising campaigns for clients such as Maryland Jockey Club including Pimlico and Laurel Racetracks, Preakness, Colonial Downs Racetrack, and the Baltimore and Washington Examiner newspapers. Last but not least, Chris is the lead account executive for Towson University Athletics and played an integral roll in the creation of the “Saturdays at the U” campaign for the football program. He is originally from Middletown, MD and currently resides in Patterson Park.
Melanie LeGrande
 |
Melanie LeGrande |
| Community Relations Manager | |
| Baltimore Ravens |
Melanie LeGrande, Community Relations Manager for the Baltimore Ravens, enters her 5th season with the team in 2008. She holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from nearby Morgan State University, and a master’s in sports administration from Georgia State University in the heart of Atlanta. Internships helped her to reach her goals, as she spent time with the Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins before taking on a full-time position with the Ravens, where she interned during the team’s Super Bowl run in 2000.
As community relations manager, she serves as the liaison between the team (players, staff, coaches) and the community. Duties include managing appearance and donation requests, creating and implementing player programs in the community and serving as a point of contact for corporate community partnerships. She is also on the board of directors of the team’s charitable arm, the Ravens All Community Team Foundation, which focuses on programs that help youth and families with various needs, including housing, hunger, education and athletics.
Ed Carroll
 |
Ed Carroll |
| Equipment Manager | |
| Baltimore Ravens |
Ed Carroll, the 2003 NFL Equipment Manager of the Year, is in his 19th year with the franchise, his 18th as the team’s equipment manager. Ed has become a virtual radio icon with his almost daily appearances on various morning drive-time talk shows at training camp. His anecdotes and sense of humor are legendary. Nicknamed “Eddo” by the players, Carroll’s best career memory is the Super Bowl XXXV victory in 2000 and his ability to share and celebrate the moment with his wife and children.
1996-2008: (with Baltimore) Ed supervises all of the Ravens’ football equipment needs from outfitting the players with game uniforms to providing footballs and other practice equipment, as well as supplying the coaches and players with a NFL-required supply of Ravens gear for the sidelines and workouts...Carroll is responsible for the safety of the players by providing each individual athlete with the proper equipment adjusted appropriately for each player on the field.
2003: Was named Equipment Manager of the Year.
1996: The Cleveland native moved to Baltimore with the team.
1990-95: (with Cleveland) 1995: Was asked to move with the team to Baltimore.
1990: Carroll rejoined the Browns as equipment manager.
1984-90: Carroll spent 6 years as a sales representative for Riddell, the official helmet supplier of the NFL...He handled Riddell promotions for NFL teams and colleges from the Pac 10 and other conferences in 13 western states...While at Riddell, Carroll learned the mechanics of the equipment and its proper function.
1983: (with Cleveland) Hired as the Browns’ assistant equipment manager.
1971-82: Was originally exposed to sports equipment when he assisted his longtime friend, and former Notre Dame All-America QB Tom Schoen, who bought Olympic Sports, a sporting goods store in Cleveland.
PERSONAL: Each year, one of the highlights of the Ravens’ Purple program, developed specifically for the team’s female fans, is the football equipment presentation Carroll gives at the annual event...He has also contributed as a fan forum guest speaker at the team’s annual Spring Football Festival at M&T Bank Stadium...Among the NFL committees on which Carroll has served are the NFL Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries Committee, where equipment managers determine ways to help lessen concussions, and the NFL Equipment Managers Committee, on which he currently serves...The committee reviews new sports products before they are marketed...Attended Euclid (OH) HS...Carroll spent 4 years in the United States Air Force as an air traffic controller stationed at Wasserkuppe Mountain, Germany...He has 2 sons, Jason and Adam, and 2 grandchildren, Adam and Katelyn...Ed and his wife, Suzanne, live in Westminster, MD.
CAREER BACKGROUND: 1971-82 (Olympic Sports); 1984-90 (Riddell); 1991-95 (Cleveland Browns); 1996-2008 (Baltimore Ravens)
Marty Teller
 |
Marty Teller |
| Account Executive | |
| Baltimore Ravens |
The 2008 season will be Marty’s fourth season with the Ravens and first as a Ravens Account Executive. Marty began his career as an intern in the Premium Services department during the 2005 season working to improve the overall gameday experience for suiteholders. In 2006, Marty was hired full-time as a Premium Services Assistant and in 2007, was promoted to Corporate Sales Coordinator where he continued his day-to-day suite operation duties but also provided the sales staff with support.
This season Marty joined the Regional Sales team where he spends his time working to build partnerships with local companies via networking, cold calls, and referrals. Through his time with the team, Marty has helped the Ravens suite level to remain sold-out and grow Corporate Sales revenue by almost twenty percent. Prior to joining the Ravens, he attended the University of Tampa where he graduated with a degree in Business Management. Marty is originally from the great state of New Jersey and enjoys traveling, sports, and movies. He currently resides in Perry Hall, MD.
Megan Collins
 |
Megan Collins |
| Events and Entertainment Manager | |
| Baltimore Ravens |
Megan Collins has been with the Baltimore Ravens since June 2002 when she started out as a Training Camp intern. Over the past six and half years she has worked her way up to Events and Entertainment Manger. Her duties include organizing and executing all the large scale events for the team from Spring Football Festival to the entertainment aspects of gameday as well as managing the cheerleaders, band, mascots and Playmakers.
Megan is a 2002 graduate of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill were she majored in Journalism and Mass Communications with a concentration in PR and where she worked for the Athletic Communications department for three years while at UNC.
Brad Downs
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Brad Downs |
| Account Executive, National Sales | |
| Baltimore Ravens |
Brad Downs will enter his 7th season with the Ravens in 2008. This is his first season as Account Executive (National Sales). Prior to moving into the Account Executive role with the Ravens, Brad worked as a Marketing/Promotions Manager. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Robert Morris University as a Sport Management Major. While attending Robert Morris, Brad completed an internship with the Ravens. After Graduation, he went to work at Adelphia Business Solutions as a Regional Marketing Manager (South Region). While at Adelphia, a primary responsibility was to manage the company’s naming rights partnership with the Tennessee Titans and Adelphia Coliseum.
In his time with the Ravens, Brad has been involved in almost every phase of Marketing and Promotions, ranging from event management, to supervision of multiple fan development initiatives, to creating branding opportunities and enhancing the Gameday experience. In 2007, Brad began working exclusively with the corporate sales department in a Manager of Promotions role. Here, he created, organized and fulfilled all aspects of promotions as related to sponsors and potential sponsors. Beginning this year, Brad has moved into a sales role with the Ravens National Sales team. In this role, he is responsible for managing existing national accounts, as well as establishing new partners with the team.
Brad is originally from Williamsport Maryland, and currently resides in Owings Mills, MD.
