Front Office U

Front Office U welcomes Dan Wallace. Dan is a strategist, writer, and marketing advisor who has spent more than four decades helping leaders make sense of complexity and uncover new opportunities for growth. As the founder of Idea Food LLC, he works with entrepreneurial leaders on strategic thinking, marketing, talent searches, and organizational challenges, drawing on decades of experience, deep...

Front Office U welcomes Joe Fitzhenry. Joe is a Freelance Sports Information Director who has spent the past eight years working in collegiate athletics. Since launching his freelance career in 2024, he has supported more than 400 games across multiple institutions, providing game statistics, media relations, game recaps, website updates, and other essential communications that help tell the story...

Front Office U welcomes Tanner Hoops. Tanner is a broadcaster for Gopher Sports Properties and the Director of Broadcast & Media Relations for the Sioux Falls Canaries. With experience spanning collegiate athletics, junior hockey, baseball, radio, and digital media, Tanner has built a career centered on storytelling, audience engagement, and connecting fans to the games they love. Tanner disco...

Front Office U welcomes David Schmoll. David is the General Manager of Business Operations for the St. Louis Ambush. After stepping into leadership roles at a young age, David has built a reputation for taking on challenges, developing staff, and creating opportunities for others within the sports industry. Growing up in St. Louis, David was a passionate sports fan who initially considered careers...

Front Office U welcomes Jillian Nelson. Jillian is a Game Presentation Assistant for the Minnesota Lynx, where she helps execute the in-arena entertainment experience that fans see on game day. From preparing halftime activations and coordinating promotions to following detailed game scripts, Jillian plays a key role in ensuring every Lynx game delivers an engaging and memorable experience for fan...

On this edition of Throwback Thursday on the Front Office U Show, we welcome back Jeremy Blumes, Head Coach and General Manager of the Ontario Jr. Reign. Since his last appearance in 2024, the Ontario Jr. Reign captured their second Pacific Division title in three seasons and advanced to nationals, while the organization also earned NCDC Tier II status. Blumes now oversees a growing development mo...

Front Office U welcomes Eric Weissman. Eric is a Pro Scout for the Los Angeles Kings, where he evaluates AHL players, NHL prospects, and reserve list talent as part of the organization's player assessment and development process. Working on the professional scouting side, Eric helps identify players who could impact the Kings' future while providing insight on talent throughout North Ameri...

Front Office U welcomes James Lipscomb. James is the Hockey Operations Manager for the New Jersey Devils, where he helps oversee the countless day-to-day details that keep an NHL hockey operations department running smoothly. From coordinating with pro scouts and managing draft preparation to balancing year-end meetings and organizational priorities, James plays an important role behind the scenes...

Front Office U welcomes Jude Scibelli. Jude is the Equipment Manager for the Boston Fleet, where he oversees the day-to-day operations that keep a professional hockey team running behind the scenes. Originally from Springfield, Jude began his journey in hockey as a locker room attendant with the Springfield Thunderbirds in 2016 before balancing responsibilities with both the Thunderbirds and Colle...

Front Office U welcomes Bryan Wilson. Bryan is a Publisher and Editor for The Hockey News, where he primarily covers the Calgary Flames while also contributing across the digital media landscape of hockey coverage. With experience spanning writing, video editing, broadcasting, and digital content production, Bryan has seen firsthand the evolution of sports media. In this conversation, Bryan shares...

Front Office U welcomes Mike Lorenz. Mike is the CEO of NGU Sports Lighting and has played a pivotal role in transforming the sports lighting industry twice. He first made his mark as President of Ephesus Lighting, where he helped scale groundbreaking LED technology into a dominant force across professional and collegiate sports. Under his leadership, Ephesus reached a defining milestone in 2015 w...

Front Office U welcomes Chris Whalen. Chris is a hockey player development expert and former OHL video coach with a background in scouting, roster evaluation, and front office operations. After spending several seasons on the management side with organizations in Hamilton and Brantford, Chris built a well-rounded foundation across video analysis, draft preparation, and player development before tr...

Front Office U welcomes Jeremiah Wait. Jeremiah is the Director of Defensive Personnel for SMU Football, where he plays a key role in scouting, evaluation, and information gathering, as well as coordinating Pro Day coverage and official visits. He’s built his path in football through hands-on learning and initiative, including experiences with the Scouting Academy and as a student in the New York...

Front Office U welcomes Max Kagan. Max is the head coach of the Chenango Forks High School hockey program. As a former player, Max used that experience as motivation to stay connected to the game and pursue a path in coaching and sports. While attending Binghamton University, Max took a proactive approach by reaching out to local high school programs, getting his start as a goalie coach before qui...

Front Office U welcomes Durham Welch! Durham is the Co-Special Teams Coordinator for football at Hamline University, bringing a unique and resilient perspective shaped by his multi-sport background and unconventional journey through athletics. A former college athlete who competed in both soccer and football, Durham’s path wasn’t defined by immediate success, but by perseverance and growth through...

Front Office U welcomes Carey Durant! Carey is a scout for the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League, bringing years of experience across both coaching and scouting at the junior level. His journey in hockey began with a deep passion for the game, inspired by watching his older brother, and ultimately led him to opportunities with organizations like the London Knights before finding his role i...

Front Office U welcomes Shamus Sullivan! Shamus is the host of the Winded Pod, a podcast that started from a simple TikTok response and has since evolved into a platform highlighting unique stories across the sports world. What began with a gambling focus has grown into an interview-driven show with a strong emphasis on amplifying women in sports, as well as athletes, photographers, and content cr...

Front Office U welcomes back Jon Kliment! Jon joined the podcast back in 2023 when he worked with the Macon Mayhem. He rejoins the podcast to share career updates, including working for the Elmira River Sharks, Mississippi Sea Wolves, Boston Bruins and now with the Topeka Scarecrows. He reflects on his different experiences in broadcast and media relations and advice for those aspiring to work in...

Front Office U welcomes Nick Zoroya! Nick shares about his career in sports, including working now at Wayne State University. Nick has degrees from the University of Michigan and Michigan State University. His previous career experiences include Athletic Director at Canton Prep High School, Head Men's Lacrosse Coach at Concordia University Ann Arbor, General Manager / Content Strategist for La...

Front Office U welcomes Devon Buckland! Devon shares about his role in business operations within junior hockey. He is responsible for partnership and sponsorship, handling player tuition, and team itineraries, amongst other tasks. He shares about his past career experiences including working for a radio station and the imprtance of networking with your coworkers. Connect with Devon on LinkedIn

Front Office U welcomes Joey Goldstein! Joey joins Victor Anderson to discuss his role at Blue Square Alliance Against Hate. Joey also shares about some of his past experiences working in Professional Hockey with the Iowa Wild and the San Jose Sharks' AHL Affiliate. Connect with Joey on LinkedIn

Front Office U welcomes Stuart Sokoloff! Stuart joins the show to discuss the rapid growth of women’s professional sports through his work with Athletes Unlimited, a network of leagues spanning basketball, softball, and volleyball that are reshaping the landscape of pro women’s sports. Stuart shares what sustainable growth really looks like. Stuart also reflects on how sports shaped his competitiv...

Front Office U welcomes Justyn Carlson! Justyn joins the show to talk about carving out a career in sports sales by betting on yourself, building real relationships, and getting comfortable being uncomfortable. Now leading a team of eight Account Executives at Nashville Superspeedway, Justyn focuses on filling grandstands and driving B2B revenue at one of the premier venues in motorsports. He shar...

Front Office U welcomes Dalton Phillips of the A’s Las Vegas Ballpark and Legends Global! Dalton joins the show to talk about building a career in sports through relationships, consistency, and a long-term mindset. Today, Dalton works as an Account Executive with the A’s Las Vegas Ballpark and Legends Global, focusing on sales and creating memorable experiences through live events. He shares how s...

Front Office U welcomes Clayton Grandquist of the Iowa Cubs! Clayton joins us to talk about building a career in sports and why mindset matters just as much as skill set. Growing up in Des Moines surrounded by baseball, hockey, and family ties to the Iowa Cubs, his path into sports was shaped early. Today, Clayton oversees all aspects of ticketing for the Iowa Cubs—from systems and online purchasi...