BRIAN FORD

CEO, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS, TAMPA

Brian Ford is in his 19th year with the Buccaneers after joining the organization in 2006. He oversees all aspects of the organization’s day-to-day business operations and community involvement, and works directly with team ownership to ensure that Buccaneers fans, season pass members and corporate sponsors receive a first-in-class experience. “I utilize my platform to bring awareness — whether it be for the military, cancer research, the Ronald McDonald House … I try to lead by example,” Ford says. “I try to encourage people in their careers to get involved in the community that they live in.”

SOMETHING SURPRISING: I married my middle school sweetheart. We both went to Florida State University and have two sons who went to Florida State.

MENTEE IMPACT: What sticks out to me are all of the pediatric cancer kids that we’ve had come back and work training camps for us. Cole Eicher is an example — he recently got a job with Raymond James Financial, and we got introduced originally because he was one of the kids who cut my hair for one of our annual Cut and Color Funds the Cure. I try to teach everyone about fandom and about giving back and being part of the community, and about good customer service.

NONPROFIT PASSIONS: The Ronald McDonald House, CEOs Against Cancer, and the Special Olympics.

INDUSTRY TREND: Providing entertainment outside of the field of play — making it a year-round entertainment experience for our fans, and trying to gain new fans, regardless of what happens on the field … ingraining ourselves as part of the community through that fandom and then trying to incorporate that into customer service and the experience of being part of a brand. We’re also trying to expand our fandom outside of our market — for instance, we have a U.K. fan club, and we recently established Germany’s first NFL Fan Embassy.

HOBBY
“I am an avid runner who likes to run triathlons and marathons. I currently have a streak of 21 consecutive years with at least one marathon run.”