The U.S. Olympic Committee has hired a former National Football League executive to head up its marketing efforts.
Lisa Baird has been named chief marketing officer to oversee the sales and marketing divisions, including leading the development of corporate sponsorship and licensing programs. She takes on the new post Jan. 20.
Baird, 47, replaces Rick Burton, who resigned last November.
Most recently, she worked for Brand Value Advisors, a consultancy advising private equity, merger and acquisition and venture capital clients. Prior to that, she worked for the NFL as senior vice president of marketing and consumer products where she directed the league’s consumer products, direct marketing, e-commerce, entertainment marketing and advertising programs.
At the NFL, Baird developed the league’s first consumer-generated ads for the 2006 Super Bowl, launched the first youth and Hispanic Web sites and helped develop www.NFLShop.com into one of the premier e-commerce sites in sports. She also launched the first virtual sports world for kids.
She has 25 years of experience working in marketing, sales, licensing, brand development and consumer and digital marketing. She has also worked in marketing positions at IBM, General Motors and Procter & Gamble.
“We are extremely pleased to welcome to the USOC an individual with the talent, expertise and proven record of success Lisa brings,” USOC CEO Jim Scherr said in a release. “Lisa recognizes the importance of delivering not only service and support, but innovative thinking and creative solutions to our family of corporate partners.”
The USOC is based in Colorado Springs, CO.