Executives Spotlight stories appeared on this website starting in 2001. Some of the executive's professional experience may have changed since they were published.

Executive Spotlight - September 30, 2005

Jared Bartie

General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer Charlotte Bobcats

When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are.
When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true." - "Wonderful World of Disney" theme song

I'm not sure whether, as a youngster, Jared Bartie sat cross-legged in front of the television on Sunday nights watching the "Wonderful World of Disney" and hearing that theme song, but I know he wished upon a star and his dream has come true.

My husband often says, we may get what we wish for, we just don't happen to always get it the moment we want it.

From a young age, Jared, who was raised by his mother and grandparents in Cambridge, Massachusetts, wished to be an NBA ball player. Bouncing his basketball in the house, on the way to school, and even washing it at night so that he could sleep with it by his side, he loved the game. One of Jared's lifetime highlights was winning a Massachusetts State Championship while playing as a starting guard at then basketball powerhouse, Cambridge Rindge and Latin School - home to basketball luminaries, Patrick Ewing and Coach Mike Jarvis.

But when confronted with the decision of playing basketball for Brandeis University or accepting an academic scholarship to attend American University, Jared chose the latter. Barely reaching 6 feet, Jared realized that the chances of him becoming an NBA star were slim. So, he decided to forego his first love, to focus his efforts on preparing for his second career choice; to become an attorney. So, after attending American University, Jared matriculated at Northwestern University School of Law with dreams of one day becoming a sports attorney. Following law school, he achieved his goal by becoming an associate at the prestigious law firm of Proskauer Rose, home to numerous senior executives in sports.

I first met Jared in 2000 while working with the XFL, World Wrestling Entertainment's and NBC Sports' foray into professional football. Jared served as the XFL's Vice President of Legal Affairs and the league's only in-house attorney. I'm sure no training could have prepared him for the massive challenge of launching a professional sports league and the daunting task unwinding a professional sports league. The XFL, though, to its credit brought together some of the best and brightest talent from many major sports leagues. That role parlayed Jared into the General Counsel & Chief Legal Officer position of one of our largest national governing bodies in America, the United States Tennis Association. Instead of shutting down a fledgling sports league, Jared:

• Advised the Board of Directors regarding various matters and oversaw all the legal functions and numerous business and administrative matters for this massive 270 person-organization that serves as the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the United States as well as to the USTA National Center, home of the most well-attended sporting event in the United States, the U.S. Open; and
  
  
• Oversaw both a $50 million bond financing for capital improvements to the National Tennis Center Stadia and a $101 million stadia - related re-financing deal; and
  
  
• Built and oversaw a well-functioning department responsible managing a myriad of deals in the areas of television negotiations, corporate partnerships, marketing, tax, and all contracts related to the US Open and the US Open Series.

Several months ago, Jared and I shared a breakfast where, now at 37 years of age, he was wishing to reunite with his first love -basketball. Despite being acquainted with many sports executives of all levels, I was taken aback and impressed by his maturity, poise, affable demeanor and success. Since meeting him five years ago, Jared certainly had attained a greater leadership role and had established himself as an up and coming leader in the world of sports. Jared credits his success to hard work and lots of family support and encouragement.

So, my heart swelled when I received a call from him not long thereafter saying that he was offered a job and was joining the NBA League office as a Vice President Business Development - Marketing & Team Business Operations Group. Jared's role and responsibilities now are to counsel NBA Teams on maximizing their revenues and building their businesses. He had finally come full circle; he's now an NBA business man and in one sense, still gets to be an NBA player.

So sings Elton John from another Disney classic, "Lion King",

It's the Circle of Life
And it moves us all
Through despair and hope
Through faith and love
Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the Circle
The Circle of Life

It doesn't come without hard work, but it is nice to know that you can still wish upon a star and have your dreams come true.

- Buffy Filippell