Wednesday, May 5, 2010

3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Professional Development

Michael Williams, Vice President, Marketing, San Francisco 49ers

Michael will share his experience and knowledge of brand positioning, understanding core competencies, and customer management and engagement.

With over 18 years of team sports and advertising agency experience, Michael Williams is recognized as one of the industry’s top marketing executives. Entering his fifth season with the 49ers as Vice President of Marketing, Williams is responsible for overseeing all 49ers marketing efforts including branding, advertising, fan development, events, game day entertainment, web site, merchandise, new media and research.

Williams has attracted some of the industry’s most talented marketing professionals to help lead the organization’s efforts to build and expand the 49ers brand, working to turn the franchise into the most fan-friendly team in sports. Under his direction, the 49ers have instituted various communication channels between the organization and its fans, which includes the creation of the team’s 49ersFaithful.net social networking website.

Williams has also directed the launch of an extensive marketing and branding campaign to increase the team’s brand presence. During his tenure, the 49ers marketing efforts have received numerous local and national awards for their creative efforts. The significant recognition includes over 19 Telly Awards, Ad Weeks prestigious “Buzz” award, local Emmy nominations and awards from the National Sports Forum highlighted by the 2006 and 2008 ADchievement Award for Overall Excellence for the 49ers “Faithful” marketing platform.

Williams came to the 49ers from the National Hockey League’s Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, where he served as Director of Sale and Marketing. While with the Ducks, Williams worked to increase ticket sales, sponsorship and broadcast revenue as well as brand strength and market presence throughout the season and beyond, culminating into the franchise’s first trip to the 2002-03 Stanley Cup Finals. In Anaheim, he was a member of the executive team that managed one of the most successful expansion franchises in NHL history.

Prior to joining the Mighty Ducks, Williams was a Partner with the Global advertising agency J. Walter Thompson, where he managed Ford Motor Company’s $50 million dollar sports asset business throughout the Northeast.

Previously, Williams worked at several highly noted advertising agencies representing global brands such as Chevrolet, Ford and Disney.

Williams holds a bachelor’s degree from The University of North Carolina and completed the prestigious Stanford Graduate School of Business Executive Program.

He has served as the Chairman for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and sat on the board for both the John Wooden Classic and the Special Olympics of Southern California.

He and his wife, Anne, reside in Livermore with their two children, Chloe and Emma.

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