School of Business to host sports, branding seminar

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas School of Business is teaming with KU Athletics' Andrea Hudy for "The Business of Sports: Brand Matters" on June 10 in Capitol Federal Hall.

The daylong seminar will explore the value of branding through the lens of sports.

"In both sports and business, the brand of an organization affects how you lead, manage, hire and change," said School of Business Dean Neeli Bendapudi. "At this event, we'll pair our excellence in the classroom and on the court, and we're truly honored to partner with Andrea Hudy for this seminar."

Kansas Coach Bill Self will deliver opening remarks, and keynote speakers and panelists will discuss how a brand can influence four main area in an organization — people, partnerships, processes and payoff.

Keynote speakers include Ted Leland, former athletic director at Stanford University; Cliff Illig, vice-chairman of Cerner and co-owner of Sporting KC; Phil Wagner, CEO and co-founder of Sparta Science; and Holly Rowe, journalist at ESPN.

Hudy is the assistant athletics director for sports performance at KU Athletics, where she has led strength and conditioning for the men's basketball team since her arrival in September 2004. Prior to KU, Hudy spent nearly a decade coaching national title-winning teams at the University of Connecticut. She is currently a KU MBA candidate.

Attendees can register for the event online until May 27. A lunch buffet will be provided, along with a closing cocktail reception.

The event is sponsored by Great American Bank, Dimensional Innovations and National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA).