KEYNOTE LUNCHEON
Featuring Susan O'Malley
Arranged courtesy of Leading Authorities Speakers Bureau
If there is any way to personify success through perseverance then Susan O’Malley is a model example. O’Malley, who at age 29 became the first female president of an NBA franchise, is credited with ground-breaking business ideas and a proactive approach to customer service that brought her, and Washington Sports & Entertainment, to the top of the sports business world.
As president, O’Malley oversaw all business operations for the Washington Wizards and the Verizon Center—including, entertainment and new business development, finance, human resources, marketing, team operations, and TicketMaster. She is credited with turning the once struggling basketball franchise around by forming positive relationships with ticket holders, corporate sponsors, and the media. In fact, in her first season handling off-court activities, the team experienced the largest ticket revenue increase in NBA history.
O’Malley’s magic has helped attract more than 21.2 million patrons through the Verizon Center turnstiles to witness professional basketball at its finest, as well as spectacular events and concerts. In the eight and a half year history of the arena, it has been host to more then 1,788 concerts and sporting events. The 2005-06 Wizards season saw the franchise tally 14 sellouts, averaging over 17,000 fans per game en route to their second consecutive trip to the NBA playoffs.
Once an intern with the Bullets and Capitols, O'Malley rose through the ranks to the top of Washington Sports & Entertainment, creating a spirited, results-oriented work environment that has been emulated throughout professional sports. She joined the organization full-time in 1986 as director of advertising. She previously worked for the Earle Palmer Brown advertising firm.
O'Malley is a strong advocate of community service, a quality that is emulated by Washington Sports and Entertainment. She works tirelessly in countless fundraising capacities for worthy causes. For her commitment to youth, she was the recipient of the Americanism Award from the Alexandria-Olympic Boys and Girls Club in 1997. On the lighter side, in 2006, O’Malley paid homage to her Irish heritage when she served as the Grand Marshall for the Washington, D.C. St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
A respected leader and skilled motivator, O’Malley is an often-requested speaker for civic, academic, and corporate groups.
