Michael Hyman, marketing professor at New Mexico State University, will serve as the Stan Fulton Chair in Marketing at NMSU’s College of Business. (NMSU Photo by Darren Phillips)

Michael Hyman, a marketing professor at New Mexico State University, has been named the Stan Fulton Chair in Business at NMSU’s College of Business.

“I’m honored to be the first person selected as the Stan Fulton Chair,” Hyman said. He currently teaches marketing research and sports marketing as well as doctoral level courses in marketing theory and applied research methods.

The Stan Fulton Chair was created by a $1 million gift from Stan Fulton, owner of Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino. Earnings from the endowment are used to support the salary of the faculty member holding the chair, as well as program development and other needs.

The Stan Fulton Chair is structured for a senior faculty member to mentor junior faculty members as well as doctoral students. A recommendation for the chair is made by the college’s faculty council and then sent to the dean for approval.

“Mike Hyman completely immerses himself in the scholarship of discovery,” said Elise “Pookie” Sautter, department head for marketing. “His insightful research and writing skills make him highly sought after as a reviewer, as a co-author and an invaluable asset to our marketing Ph.D. program.”

As part of his responsibilities, Hyman will work with Chris Erickson, an NMSU economics professor, to produce New Mexico Business Outlook, an online publication highlighting various aspects of business in the state. Hyman will focus particularly on ethics and public policy, and provide a preliminary venue for faculty members to publish their work.

Hyman earned his Ph.D. at Purdue University in 1984. He taught at the University of Houston and the University of North Texas before joining the NMSU faculty in 1993. Author of more than 100 published scholarly papers and current member of nine journal editorial review boards, he previously held the Wells Fargo and NationsBank professorships in the College of Business. His research interests include consumers’ response to advertising, marketing ethics, survey research methods and knowledge acquisition in academia.

There are four, $1 million or more chairs in the College of Business. They include the Mountain States Insurance Group Endowed Chair, the Garrey E. and Katherine T. Carruthers Chair in Economic Development, the Robin T. Peterson Endowed Chair in Marketing and the Stan Fulton Chair.

Bedouin Joseph, Laura and George Bush, Selena Chavez ('07) at the 2006 White House Christmas party

Selena Chavez, a 2007 NMSU graduate with a degree in Marketing and a minor in Sport Marketing, pictured above with her friend Bedouin Joseph and George and Laura Bush at the White House.

Bedouin, who received his law degree from Florida State University and works at the Office of Management  and Budget, invited Selena to be his guest at the White House Christmas party for President Bush’s senior staff. During her visit Selena also toured the entire White House—East  and West Wings, Oval Office, and the residence area.

“It was truly a night to remember and a once‐in‐a‐life time opportunity. I am thankful to my professor Robin Peterson who allowed me to take my final early so I could attend this Christmas party,” Selena said.

Selena is enrolled in NMSU’s MBA program and has a Graduate Assistantship in Athletics Compliance  and Eligibility.

John Cordova is the second speaker of the Garrey E. and Katherine T. Carruthers Speaker Series in Economic Development. Cordova, a 1981 and 1983 NMSU alumnus, is the director of sports transaction management for Coca-Cola. (Courtesy Photo)

Sports are big business.

From ticket sales to licensed products, from sports collectibles to video games, from sporting goods, sports-related advertising, endorsement income, stadium naming fees and running shoes to facilities income, the sports business is a truly global industry.

John Cordova, a 1981 and 1983 New Mexico State University alumnus, knows the industry well.

Cordova is the second speaker in the Garrey E. and Katherine T. Carruthers Speaker Series in Economic Development. A Colorado native, Cordova will speak from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, in the Corbett Center Auditorium.

For the past 12 years, the former Aggie football player (1976-79) has been part of Coca-Cola’s domestic pro sports marketing efforts. He has served in different capacities from being the director of sports marketing to his current role as director of sports transaction management.

The road to success was not easy, especially during a time when the sports business industry was just beginning to take flight.

While working on his MBA at NMSU, Cordova was an assistant offensive line/strength coach during the 1980 and 1981 seasons. Once he finished his degree, he decided to pursue a career that would allow him to combine his experience in sports and his newly acquired degree.

“I ended up writing letters to every baseball, basketball, football and hockey team, any sport you can think of,” Cordova said. “I sent out hundreds of letters and received a couple of hundred rejections.”

Cordova might have been down, but he was certainly not out.

He found a job at Texas Instruments and thought that he could pursue the sports industry on the side. He worked at Texas Instruments for about eight months before he was contacted by the Major League Baseball Commissioners Office in New York. There he was given the opportunity to experience the many facets of the industry, from public relations, player records, minor league operations, licensing and sponsorship to television production.

Today, Cordova said, there are many more avenues for future professionals.

“The opportunities are easier to come by … you just have to go out and find one, and be persistent,” he said. “Go through professional teams, advertising agencies and sponsors. I think the untapped opportunities are on the collegiate side of the business. They are progressively being run as stand-alone businesses.”

Students at NMSU can prepare for a career in sports marketing through classes in the College of Business. Business majors can specialize in sports marketing and non-business majors can pursue a minor. Classes include business law, sports law, sports marketing and sports management.

“Sports business is really growing because sports, in general, are one of the fastest growing avenues for entertainment,” said Gerald Hampton, department head of marketing.

The seminar series is being hosted by the Garrey E. and Katherine T. Carruthers Chair in Economic Development. The chair was created by a $500,000 gift from College of Business Dean Garrey E. Carruthers and his wife, Katherine. The chair received a $1 million match from the state.

During the fall and spring semesters, several speakers will address issues related to “The Changing Face of Economic Development.” The next presenter, Emma Jean Cervantes, owner of JF Apodaca Farmers, Cervantes Agribusiness and Enterprises Inc., is scheduled to speak Oct. 12.