James Padilla
Associate Dean of Business at Marymount University
703-284-5919
James Padilla has an extensive background in the sports business field. The main area he has worked in throughout his life while working at universities across the country is the athlete disability insurance field. Padilla owned his own insurance brokerage before merging with Braman Insurance. He specializes in working with players, coaches, financial advisors, agents and professional teams in making sure they are protecting themselves. His general responsibilities include marketing and sales work, constantly maintaining a prospective database for current and future clients, reaching out to agents and financial advisors and handling copious amounts of paperwork daily. Padilla said that the benefits of his job are that the pay is actually based off of how well you do your job and perform. He loves to work directly with clients and to serve and educate the families of athletes and professional organizations. His insurance position calls for him to be ready to work at any time of day. Being prepared and on his toes are part of the hourly expectations of his job. Perks that he stated are working with high-level athletes, such as Dwyane Wade. Education that may be helpful in starting an insurance firm is a bachelor's degree, as well as a master's degree and a law degree.
The insurance industry is one that has remained consistently busy over the years. Padilla says that with high-level athletes getting paid the way they do now is making them want more insurance coverage. As far as advancement in this industry, he says there is of course a corporate ladder one can work up as they begin their own brokerage. As he did, he merged his firm with a bigger brokerage. Padilla's tips for college students are just make their own path and stay committed to what they want to do. Hard work will go a long way in his industry.
Associate Dean of Business at Marymount University
703-284-5919
James Padilla has an extensive background in the sports business field. The main area he has worked in throughout his life while working at universities across the country is the athlete disability insurance field. Padilla owned his own insurance brokerage before merging with Braman Insurance. He specializes in working with players, coaches, financial advisors, agents and professional teams in making sure they are protecting themselves. His general responsibilities include marketing and sales work, constantly maintaining a prospective database for current and future clients, reaching out to agents and financial advisors and handling copious amounts of paperwork daily. Padilla said that the benefits of his job are that the pay is actually based off of how well you do your job and perform. He loves to work directly with clients and to serve and educate the families of athletes and professional organizations. His insurance position calls for him to be ready to work at any time of day. Being prepared and on his toes are part of the hourly expectations of his job. Perks that he stated are working with high-level athletes, such as Dwyane Wade. Education that may be helpful in starting an insurance firm is a bachelor's degree, as well as a master's degree and a law degree.
The insurance industry is one that has remained consistently busy over the years. Padilla says that with high-level athletes getting paid the way they do now is making them want more insurance coverage. As far as advancement in this industry, he says there is of course a corporate ladder one can work up as they begin their own brokerage. As he did, he merged his firm with a bigger brokerage. Padilla's tips for college students are just make their own path and stay committed to what they want to do. Hard work will go a long way in his industry.
Shonna Brown
Conference USA CFO
[email protected]
Shonna Brown is the current Associate Commissioner and CFO of Conference USA located in Dallas, Texas. She has worked in sports all her life as she was previously with the American East conference as the deputy commissioner there. He general role as a CFO means that she is the financial manager of the conference. She handles the operating budget, reports the finances to the board of fulls of athletic directors and presidents from each school in the conference, handles the payroll, sponsorships, television contracts, where money is being spent and reports on how the conference is doing financially. As she has taken this role just two months ago, she is liking how she is growing into the position. She has loved combining in her love for finance into the sports world and wishes to continue to grow her business sights. Although this position can resemble an 8am-5pm office job at times, she has traveled over 100 hours over the last year being involved in her positions. She says that during football bowl seasons and NCAA men's basketball tournament that there is a lot of office work in coordinating all of the teams that will be playing in games. However, she gets the perks of still being able to enjoy sports when she is finished with her work and has the benefit exclusive passes and seating when it comes to watching games. Her end-goal with her sports career is to become a commissioner because she feels the positions she as held over the years have rounded out all of her skills to make her qualified for this position.
Shonna's tip to college students who wish to get into this line of work is to get as much experience as possible. She recommends a masters degree because it is another two years at a school to build more connections, which are essential in the sports world. If possible, she says getting a graduate assistant coaching position would be beneficial in learning how to manage several different tasks and paperwork early on. Her big key is to be a utility player for your employer. What she meant by this was to be willing to do anything and everything for your employer to prove that you are willing to work hard and learn the business. Shonna started off at lower level positions dealing with NCAA compliance and sports operations early on in her career. However, she worked hard and advanced her way up to the position she is at now. She stated that she is very career driven and wants to reach her end-goal.
Conference USA CFO
[email protected]
Shonna Brown is the current Associate Commissioner and CFO of Conference USA located in Dallas, Texas. She has worked in sports all her life as she was previously with the American East conference as the deputy commissioner there. He general role as a CFO means that she is the financial manager of the conference. She handles the operating budget, reports the finances to the board of fulls of athletic directors and presidents from each school in the conference, handles the payroll, sponsorships, television contracts, where money is being spent and reports on how the conference is doing financially. As she has taken this role just two months ago, she is liking how she is growing into the position. She has loved combining in her love for finance into the sports world and wishes to continue to grow her business sights. Although this position can resemble an 8am-5pm office job at times, she has traveled over 100 hours over the last year being involved in her positions. She says that during football bowl seasons and NCAA men's basketball tournament that there is a lot of office work in coordinating all of the teams that will be playing in games. However, she gets the perks of still being able to enjoy sports when she is finished with her work and has the benefit exclusive passes and seating when it comes to watching games. Her end-goal with her sports career is to become a commissioner because she feels the positions she as held over the years have rounded out all of her skills to make her qualified for this position.
Shonna's tip to college students who wish to get into this line of work is to get as much experience as possible. She recommends a masters degree because it is another two years at a school to build more connections, which are essential in the sports world. If possible, she says getting a graduate assistant coaching position would be beneficial in learning how to manage several different tasks and paperwork early on. Her big key is to be a utility player for your employer. What she meant by this was to be willing to do anything and everything for your employer to prove that you are willing to work hard and learn the business. Shonna started off at lower level positions dealing with NCAA compliance and sports operations early on in her career. However, she worked hard and advanced her way up to the position she is at now. She stated that she is very career driven and wants to reach her end-goal.