MACON – Mercer University's 2013-14 Executive Forum, presented by BB&T, concludes Thursday with a 6:30 p.m. dinner presentation by George Bodenheimer, executive chairman of ESPN, in Hawkins Arena on the Macon campus. The event is co-presented by the Mercer Athletic Foundation in celebration of the most successful year in terms of both athletic success and financial support for athletics in the history of the University.
Sponsored by Cox Communications, Raymond James Financial and Mercer Dining Services, the event is open to Executive Forum members and their invited guests.
Bodenheimer, who recently announced that he will leave ESPN at the end of May, began his 33-year career there as a mailroom driver 16 months after the launch of the network. He became its president 17 years later. Bodenheimer learned the company from the ground up by taking positions in the affiliate sales and marketing department throughout the country, working in Dallas, Chicago, Denver, Bristol and New York.
As the company's longest-tenured president (1998-2012), he led an unprecedented period of global growth. Bodenheimer oversaw all multimedia sports assets of The Walt Disney Company from March 2003-December 2011.
On Jan. 1, 2012, Bodenheimer became the first executive chairman for ESPN Inc. In that role, he provides strategic direction for ESPN's global business. Bodenheimer's path to leadership mirrors that of ESPN itself. He has a sharp focus on creativity and cutting-edge innovation, always enhancing value for sports fans and ESPN's business partners.
Since Bodenheimer took over as president in 1998, ESPN has grown to eight domestic television networks, 12 HD services, one 3-D network, nearly 100 million households for ESPN and ESPN 2, 48 international television networks, 13 international SportsCenter editions, 18 websites, 750 ESPN Radio affiliates nationwide and 7,000 employees worldwide.
The Executive Forum is a membership organization composed of businesses, organizations and individuals. Events are by invitation only to members. For more information on membership, call (800) 837-2911 or (478) 301-2943, or visit forum.mercer.edu/membership/.
About the Executive Forum, presented by BB&T
The Executive Forum, presented by BB&T, is a business outreach program of Mercer University's Eugene W. Stetson School of Business and Economics and the Office of University Advancement. The Executive Forum provides business professionals with an opportunity to hear nationally noted speakers while networking with other business leaders. For more information, call Mercer's Office of University Advancement at (800) 837-2911 or (478) 301-4169, or visit forum.mercer.edu/.
About the Mercer Athletic Foundation
Established in 2008, the Mercer Athletic Foundation is the fundraising arm of the Mercer Athletic Department. Its mission is to raise funds to help increase athletic scholarships, upgrade facilities and recruit and retain top-level coaches. For more information, call (478) 301-4003 or visit www.mercerbears.com/foundation.
