April 26, 2011
New York City is known for a lot of things: skyscrapers, tourist
attractions, Times Square, Wall Street and theater, to name a few.
But as Edward Kull ’05MBA is quick to point out, New York proved
this past year that it’s just as famous for its college basketball,
thanks largely to the resurgent Red Storm.
“What’s so unique about St. John’s basketball is its
relationship with New York City and its position in the national
spotlight,” Kull explained. “As we saw this past season, when
things go well, the media treats the team like a professional
squad. The whole city embraces the Red Storm.”
As
Development Director for Men’s Basketball, Kull seeks to build
relationships with friends of the University and corporate partners
to raise support for programs and initiatives pertaining to the
men’s basketball team. His role is unique in that he focuses mostly
on non-alumni.
“There are so many folks who have lived in Manhattan or the
tri-state area their whole lives and grew up with a passion for St.
John’s sports,” he said. “Regardless of where they went to school,
St. John’s is important to them, and I want to secure their help in
making the basketball program even better for years to come. We all
share a love for the University, and that speaks volumes about not
only the size of the city, but the rich history of St. John’s.”
Kull graduated from St. John’s The Peter J. Tobin College of
Business with an M.B.A. in 2005 and worked for the University’s
Department of Athletics from 2003 to 2007. He tackled a number of
important jobs, assisting in ticket sales, sponsorship sales,
marketing promotions, in-game relations and alumni relations. His
St. John’s connections eventually led him to other
opportunities.
“During my time working at St. John’s, I sold tickets to and
reconnected with Mike Repole ’91SVC, the founder of Glaceau
vitaminwater. He’s a great guy and a huge sports fan,” Kull said.
“He asked me to work with him in sports marketing for vitaminwater,
which was great. When he sold the company to Coca-Cola, I had the
opportunity to work there as well. In the end, I was able to see
the dynamics of a small startup company and watch it bloom, and
then work in a corporate atmosphere, where I was one of hundreds of
thousands of employees globally. Those five years proved to be a
tremendous education for me.”
Kull played an instrumental role in reconnecting Repole to St.
John’s, which opened his eyes and increased his interest in the
University’s development area.
As the Development Director for Men’s Basketball, Kull is
working on a number of unique opportunities to appeal to possible
contributors.
“We want to host prospects and companies who are hoops fans and
provide them with access to things most professional sports teams
can’t offer,” he said. “This includes access to coaches, tickets,
away games, facilities and various pre and post-game events. These
will be fantastic opportunities for Red Storm supporters.”
Financial gifts are not all that Kull seeks. He also hopes to
generate an even stronger following for Red Storm sports and spread
the University’s popularity across New York and the rest of the
country.
“The most successful initiatives and causes are interactive,
getting people involved in what they’re supporting,” he explained.
“If you can’t support us financially, that’s not a problem. You can
also be an ambassador, cultivating your colleagues, other
companies, hosting an event for us and spreading the word. That’s
my ultimate goal – to get energetic and passionate people involved
with this great University in any capacity.”
A Queens native, Kull is very much like the people he hopes to
build relationships with in the future.
“I was born and raised in Queens and have always loved St.
John’s,” he said. “And with our team doing so well and poised for
such success, there’s no place I’d rather be right now. Just like
for so many others throughout the city, St. John’s has always felt
like home to me.”