Witt Kieffer Backing Beyond Sport United
Witt/Kieffer, a leading executive search firm, will reinforce its role in the sports sector when the world’s leading teams come together for their annual gathering at Beyond Sport United, to be held at Yankee Stadium on November 13th.
Announced today as an Official Sponsor of Beyond Sport United, Witt/Kieffer’s work with organisations committed to improving quality of life mirrors the goals of the event, which brings together representatives of the world’s leading sports teams to explore how to use their unique positions and powerful brands to engage with and improve local communities.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, a major focus of this year’s gathering will be the role of sports teams in post-disaster situations. Amongst those sharing their expertise and knowledge of the challenges involved in that will be the ownership of the New Orleans Saints, leaders of projects established in Haiti in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake and representatives of aid organisations from around the world. They will work with teams affected by Hurricane Sandy to explore the options available to them to help their local communities both in the short and long term.
Meanwhile, Greg Santore, Vice President and Witt/Kieffer’s Sports Leadership Practice Leader, will conduct a workshop, entitled Skills of the New Leader, which will explore how organisations can identify quality leaders to help them further their community engagement. The talk will be followed by a roundtable discussion featuring sports stars and influential figures exploring their respective organisations’ role in social change.
Witt/Kieffer President and Chief Executive Officer Charles (Chuck) W.B. Wardell, III will also serve on Beyond Sport’s global Advisory Panel. ‘Athletes and sports organisations do so many things for people and communities, but we’re really just scratching the surface,’ said Wardell. ‘With better leaders, better cooperation, and more shared best practices, sports organizations can greatly expand the positive influence they already have.’
As ‘Leaders Connecting Leaders,’ Witt/Kieffer’s specialist areas of work – the sport, health and not-for-profit sectors – will be major themes for the teams, brands and businesses set to attend the second Beyond Sport United, following its inaugural year in 2011. That event saw NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, NASCAR CEO and Chairman Brian France, MLS Commissioner Don Garber, NBA Commissioner David Stern, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and MLB Commissioner Bud Selig co-sign a unique letter acknowledging their member teams’ places as the cultural heartbeats of their respective communities, and vowing to tackle the responsibilities that come with that proud position.
This year, Beyond Sport United will again see the US Major Leagues, who are collectively Founding Supporters of the movement, further develop a multilateral approach to social change that is helping to maximize the impact sports teams can have on their communities. France, Garber and Stern will take to the stage for the second annual Beyond Sport United Commissioners Roundtable, as they seek to drive forward the positive impact of their leagues and teams on society.
Others scheduled to speak at Beyond Sport United include New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira, who has been a stalwart of Major League Baseball for a decade; WNBA President Laurel Richie; former Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker and Super Bowl champion Derrick Brooks; The NASCAR Foundation Board Member and NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee Rusty Wallace; Women Win Executive Director Maria Bobenreith; psychologist, organizational consultant and former NBA star John Amaechi; GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard; and ex-professional soccer player and founder of Grassroots Soccer Ethan Zohn.
Beyond Sport United’s other partners include British Airways, Western Union, Populous, Legends, Sports Illustrated and Connor Sport Court.
Beyond Sport is a global organization that promotes, develops and funds the use of sport to create positive social change across the world. For more information visit www.beyondsport.org
