Our Advisors
Ken Brenner
Co-Founder and Board Member
Ken Brenner is a seasoned sports marketer and sponsorship professional with 18 years of experience in the industry. Mr. Brenner is a visionary and pioneer for the sponsorship industry having lead Sponsor Direct for the last eight years to develop and introduce Web-based tools that have dramatically impacted the industry. Brenner's insight and knowledge of the industry combined with his passion for introducing new technology has resulted in new methods and standards to evaluate, track and measure sponsorship programs. Brenner has a long track record of successful start-up companies. Brenner was one of the original founders of Professional Sports Care, a revolutionary sports medicine company, a founder of the Television Games Network (TVG), the first interactive television network for the sports industry and ran his own sports marketing company called Classic Marketing. Brenner has served as a guest lecturer and speaker at New York University, Princeton University, Sports Business Journal's Sports Sponsorship Summit and hosts two industry-wide summits annually on the topic of Technology's Impact on the Sponsorship Industry. Brenner graduated cum laude from Princeton University with a combined B.A. in business and psychology.
Robert R. Reif
Co-Founder
Bob Reif is the President of Endeavor Properties, the Hollywood entertainment behemoth. Mr. Reif has held a number of high profile, senior marketing positions in the world of professional sports throughout his career. He was CMO for both the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and The Indy Racing League. Prior to Indy he was Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, for the Miami Dolphins and Pro Player Stadium, where he successfully consolidated Wayne Huizenga's sports holdings – the Miami Dolphins, Florida Marlins, Florida Panthers, SportsChannel and various other related businesses – into one sales organization. Before joining Mr. Huizenga's organization, Mr. Reif was with IMG, the Cleveland-based sports marketing firm. While at IMG, Mr. Reif sold endorsements for clients Arnold Palmer, Joe Montana, Wayne Gretzky and Chris Evert. Mr. Reif has been in a principle owner in successful sports sponsorship businesses including SportsGroup, RSM and Audible where he acquired properties for television and marketing rights representation prior to joining IMG. Mr. Reif is a two time “40 Under 40” winner as recognized by the Sports Business Journal for being one of the most influential people in the sports marketing industry. He earned his undergraduate degree from Princeton University in 1989. He sits on the board of several marketing related businesses and has been actively involved with the March of Dimes since 1993 and The Boys Club of New York.
Peter Hilal M.D.
Advisor to the Company
Peter Hilal is the Managing Member of Hilal Capital Management LLC, an investment-management firm specializing in the technology sector, founded in 1997. From 1996 to 1997, Dr. Hilal was a Principal at Oracle Management, Inc. Prior to 1996, Dr. Hilal held various senior positions, primarily in marketing and strategic planning, at Merck & Co., Inc. Dr. Hilal received both an A.B. in chemistry and computer science and an M.D. from Columbia University. He also earned an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, where he graduated with High Distinction as a Baker Scholar and was winner of the Loeb Prize in Finance.
Peter Stern - STRATEGIC, President
Advisor to the Company
Peter Stern launched Strategic Sports Group, Inc. in 1996 (now STRATEGIC) with an entrepreneurial vision to marry his industry expertise consulting corporations and properties with sports. In the decade that has followed, Peter has guided what began as a modest start-up agency into one of the most highly respected firms in the industry, establishing a strong foothold and proprietary niche in the sports and entertainment business field with a client list including such category leaders as Anheuser-Busch / InBev USA, The Hershey Company, GlaxoSmithKline, Gulf Oil and TD AMERITRADE. Recognizing the increasingly powerful role the entertainment industry is playing in today's marketplace, Mr. Stern has leveraged STRATEGIC's success and his vast sports experience to broaden the scope of his agency to encompass entertainment and lifestyle sponsorship opportunities. In 2006, Peter's and STRATEGIC's success were recognized with the 40 under 40 award and Bill Veeck Sponsorship Award respectively; arguably the most prestigious honors bestowed upon individuals and organizations in this highly competitive business.
Mr. Stern began his career at One Stop Events in New York where he directed sales efforts and played an instrumental role in the company's involvement with Minute Maid's Olympic Launch and Seagrams' Frank Sinatra Tour. He then served as manager of sports marketing for Katz Media Corporation, where he directed programs for blue chip clients such as Xerox, Bell Atlantic, Castrol, U.S. Postal Service and Citibank.
Peter has served as a guest speaker at New York University, Fordham University, Strategic Research Institute's Sports Marketing Conference, World Research Group's Interactive Conference, the New York Sports Marketing Institution, the University of Kentucky's Sports Marketing Academy, and the Sports Business Journal's Sports Technology Summit. Additionally, Peter's business expertise and perspective has been featured in sports business trade publications and major media outlets including the Wall Street Journal, NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw, CNN and CNN Moneyline. He also currently serves on the Advisory Board for Sponsor Direct, a company led by Mark Rockefeller.
A native of Shaker Heights, Ohio, Peter graduated from The Ohio State University with a B.S. degree in political science. He resides in New York City with his wife Carly and their son, Grant.
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