The International Institute for Sport Business and Leadership (IISBL) welcomed sport business leaders to campus last week for the second annual Think Tank, an event that brings together the Institute’s executive advisory board with student researchers, faculty and partners.
The IISBL is a global centre for research and teaching that bridges the gap between scholars and industry. The Institute launched last year through a collaboration between the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics and the Department of Athletics at the University of Guelph.
The two-day think tank invited members of the executive advisory board to participate in several interactive strategy sessions and to hear from graduate students and researchers about recently funded research coming through the Institute.
“Each year, the think tank is a chance to bring our executive advisory board to campus,” said Norm O’Reilly, director of the IISBL. “This was the second annual event and was a great opportunity to bring together our board, our students, our faculty, and some of our partners. Being able to bring together a group like this to inform our future direction and discuss our research was very special.”
Graduate students presenting their research to the advisory board
Graduate students presenting their research to the advisory board
Graduate students presenting their research to the advisory board
Graduate students presenting their research to the advisory board
The annual event is also an opportunity for the executive advisory board to come together and actively contribute to the direction of the Institute.
“Having an actively engaged executive advisory board of this talent and breadth allows the Institute to continue to push the vision forward, while being innovative in that approach,” said Scott McRoberts, associate director of the IISBL. “We are lucky to be surrounded by great leaders to improve life.”
Among those in attendance was Richard Pound, the chair of the institute’s advisory board. Pound is a global leader in the business of sport and current member of the International Olympic Committee. The board also features several industry leaders from organizations including Soccer Ontario, NFL Canada, the Canadian Football League, the National Hockey League, and several more. A full list of the advisory board can be found on the IISBL website [1].
“It’s truly an honour to participate alongside so many skilled and successful sport leaders in support of the University of Guelph’s International Institute for Sport Business and Leadership,” said Johnny Misley, Chief Executive Officer for Ontario Soccer. “We hope that our think tank session can make a true difference for the future of sport in Canada and worldwide.”
The International Institute for Sport Business and Leadership [2] is a global leader for advanced research in sport business and leadership. The vision of the institute is to be the sought, referenced and intellectual home of sport business research in Canada, and the choice of doctoral students, media organizations, thought leaders and international collaborators in the field.
