ROBERT M. PRIOR, Ed.D.

360 Huntington Avenue • Boston, MA 02115 • Phone (617) 943-3941 •  r.prior@neu.edu

SUMMARY

Higher education scholar and practitioner with 20-years of professional experience in the Sports Industry.  Proven leadership qualities utilizing strategic planning and effective organizational and communications skills. Diplomatic manager with highly effective interpersonal skills.

HIGHER EDUCATION EMPLOYMENT

NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES, Boston, MA

Associate Teaching Professor for Master of Sports Leadership Program, 2010-Present

• Graduate instructor teaching online and hybrid Master of Sports Leadership classes including Sport Marketing and Promotions, Corporate Sponsorships, Sport Management, NCAA Compliance, Academic Advising and Fiscal Practices in Sports courses.  Distance education classes are taught through the Blackboard Academic Suite delivery system. 
• Master teacher overseeing the course design and instruction of select courses delivered by Sports Leadership faculty
• Promote the Sports Leadership program at a variety of events including national conferences and conventions and open houses
• Review and develop curriculum for Sports Leadership Program
• Spearhead accreditation efforts for Sports Leadership program as liaison to the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) 
• Advise and mentor current students and maintain relationships with Sports Leadership alumni
• Support admissions and participate in recruiting activities
• Recruit and mentor new and existing faculty
• Serve on a variety faculty and college committees

LASELL COLLEGE, SPORT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, Newton, MA   

Associate Professor, Department Chair for Sport Management Program, 2008-2010

• Department Chair and full-time instructor in the undergraduate Sport Management Program, teaching a variety of courses including Intro to Sport Management, Sport Marketing, Sport and Society, Sport Finance, Sports Administration, Sport Facility and Event Management, Sports Information and Communications, and Sport Leadership.
• Designed course curriculum and assessment instruments to ensure that all student learning objectives and goals are achieved. 
• Led two full-time and three adjunct faculty members within the Sport Management Program. 
• Directed departmental administrative requirements, while working cooperatively with Office of the Registrar, Admissions, Student Activities, Institutional Advancement and Alumni Relations. 
• Advised over 20 students from freshman year through graduation, with registration and academic needs or concerns.
• Created and developed Master of Sport Management degree program from concept to implementation.
• Liaison to Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA), while leading program to be granted candidacy status for first-time national accreditation. 

PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS

Prior, R. Web Portfolios-a Win-Win for Sport Management Students and Faculty: Strategies for Assessing Student Learning and Marketing Students through Web Portfolios.  2012 North American Society for Sport Management Conference (NASSM 2012); May 26, 2012: Seattle, WA - Presenter.

Prior, R. Using Web Portfolios to Evaluate Sport Management Students: Implementation, Assessment, and Teaching Strategies.  2010 North American Society for Sport Management Conference (NASSM 2010); June 5, 2010: Tampa, FL - Presenter.

PROFESSIONAL INDUSTRY EMPLOYMENT

NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY, Fort Lauderdale, FL  

Associate Director of Athletics Communications and External Operations, 2007-2008 

• Promoted and directed media relations efforts for Department of Athletics
• Formulated and managed annual budgets of $175,000 for the Sports Information and Marketing Departments. 
• Directed all athletics facility operations for over 200 athletics events annually, including those in the new $100 million University Center and 5,000-seat UC Arena and four other athletic venues. 
• Guided the formation of the NSU Athletics Hall of Fame Exhibit from concept to the design and manufacturing phases. 
• Directed ticket operations of five athletic venues, while reconciling ticket revenues with Ticketmaster and UC Arena box office. 
• Developed Athletic fund raising and booster club strategies, which initiated VIP seating, booster club member benefits and discounted ticket prices, and resulting in over $100,000 in a four year period. 

NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY, Fort Lauderdale, FL  

Assistant Athletic Director, Sports Information/Media Relations, 2002-2007  

• Directed media relations and marketing efforts for Department of Athletics, while transitioning the athletic program into full membership in NCAA Division II and Sunshine State Conference. 
• Initiated the internet broadcast of over 150 athletic events to a listenership of over 2,000 annually. 
• Instituted the creation and distribution of the department’s first-ever weekly athletics e-newsletter, establishing over 1,500 subscribers in the first five years of production. 
• Edited, researched and designed 11 annual team media guides and collateral promotional materials. 

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER, LLC, New York, NY  

Director of Information/New Media, 2000-2002 

• Spearheaded the strategic re-design of MLSnet.com, resulting in an 83% increase of page views over the entire 2000 calendar year, for an average of 3.6 million page views per month. 
• Proactively generated features and human-interest stories for 12 media markets, including 6 of the 10 largest markets in the country, contributing to a 10% annual increase in league attendance. 
• Directed media relations efforts for the league at MLS events, including MLS All-Star Game, MLS Cup Championship Games and annual league media guide production, remaining within budget parameters. 

BOSTON CELTICS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, Boston, MA  

Director of Media Relations, 1999-2000 

• Publicized and directed press conferences announcing player signings, trades and other organizational transactions while fostering a mutually beneficial relationship with local and national media. 
• Worked in conjunction with team executives regarding confidential and time sensitive personnel matters to maintain integrity of the organization. 
• Directed logistical requirements for media at all home games ensuring successful game production and broadcasts. 
• Enhanced and edited content of bostonceltics.com providing timely information about organizational initiatives and activities, as well as human interest player features, and interactive applications. 

BOSTON CELTICS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, Boston, MA  

Assistant Director of Media Relations, 1996-1999  

• Strategically managed media relations’ plan for NBA team, generating daily local, national and international media awareness and coverage. 
• Tabulated statistical and biographical player information for the President/Head Coach, General Manager and Basketball Operations staff, providing professional evaluation and analysis of team and league players. 
• Maintained statistical record keeping program for player and team statistics, ensuring an accurate and immediate response to over 20 daily media inquiries. 
• Managed the design and content of Boston Celtics initial web page, ranking as one of the top 5 most popular websites in the league. 

ATLANTA COMMITTEE FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES, Atlanta, GA  

Venue Manager, Olympic Center, 1996. 

• Developed plans and instituted non-spectator transportation for media, athletes, competition officials and VIP’s at the Olympic Center Venue (Georgia Dome, Omni Coliseum & Georgia World Congress Center), which staged 35% of all Olympic events. 
• Managed staff of 250, including supervisors, coordinators and volunteers, ensuring successful transportation of up to 5000 people. 

ATLANTA RUCKUS, A-LEAGUE SOCCER CLUB, Atlanta, GA  

Director of Marketing & Public Relations, 1995-1996 

• Designed and implemented team’s marketing plans, including the design of corporate participant sponsorship packages that secured 12 and initiated 5 new corporate sponsors.
• Sold sponsorships packages to local and national companies including Red Dog Beer, Fountainhead Water, Umbro and Subway, resulting in over $200,000 in revenue.
• Initiated local and national media contacts and established media relations guidelines, creating team publicity and enabling successful game presentation and production.

ATLANTA BRAVES, NATIONAL LEAGUE BASEBALL CLUB, Atlanta, GA  

Public Relations & Marketing Coordinator, 1991-1994 

• Tabulated statistics and press notes, providing hundreds of local and national media with pertinent team information throughout the regular season and post seasons.
• Distributed media credentials for the Office of the Commissioner during the National League Championship Series and World Series, ensuring media compliance and satisfaction.
• Contributed writing, design and production of team publications, providing insightful and informative materials to members of the media and fans.
• Developed and implemented three new community relations programs, securing corporate sponsors for each program thereby generating over $200,000 in advertising revenue.
• Instituted filing system that organized thousands of historical team photographic images.

HIGHER EDUCATION

NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY, Fort Lauderdale, FL

Doctor of Education, Organizational Leadership, 2007

SAINT THOMAS UNIVERSITY, Miami, FL

Master of Science, Sports Administration, 1988

SALEM STATE COLLEGE, Salem, MA

Bachelor of Science, Sports, Fitness & Leisure, 1987

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS   

Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA)-Chair for Board of Commissioners, National Sports Marketing Network (NSMN), North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM), National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).