A Shoe In For Special Olympics
This week’s “10 Topics with” features Bill Shumard, President/CEO of Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC). Prior to his current position, Bill served for 10 years as the Athletics Director at California State University Long Beach (CSULB), and prior to that he worked for the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.
1. Describe your current position and responsibilities.
I am currently in my fourth year as President/CEO for Special Olympics Southern California, one of 52 programs in our country representing the world’s largest sports organization. SOSC serves approximately 13,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities, changing their lives through the simple power of sports. We have 50 full-time employees and utilize nearly 15,000 volunteers. We are responsible to raise approximately $7.5 million each year and we receive a similar amount in in-kind products and services.
2. Tell us about your first job in sports.
I received my first job in sports immediately following my graduation from CSU Long Beach. I was named CSULB’s Sports Information Director after serving as a student-assistant in that department for my final two years of undergraduate studies. It was the perfect “starter position,” for me, giving me the opportunity to understand the media as well as learning how to interact with the coaches and athletes.
3. What was the best advice you ever received?
Be faithful in the little things. Thoroughness and follow-up are crucial in all walks of life, and developing a reputation for trust and accountability is invaluable.
4. What What sports memory are you most fond of telling others?
I have been a part of a team or organization that has won a World Series (Dodgers); an NCAA National Championship (Long Beach State); and a Rose Bowl (USC)—those were all tremendous memories I love to share. However, easily my biggest thrill was carrying the banner and leading the SOSC delegation into a packed arena at 2008 Special Olympics National Games.
5. Describe the areas of opportunity for growth in your business.
Non-profit organizations, just like for-profit businesses, are becoming increasingly dependent upon creating and enhancing new revenue streams and opportunities. We have doubled our Development/Marketing staff during my tenure and I see it continuing to increase—especially in the area of technology. An ever-increasing amount of revenue is being generated each year on-line, and we have to be positioned to take advantage of that.
6. What are the biggest challenges that face your business today?
In an economic downturn, you have the opportunity to evaluate everything your doing to find a way to do it more efficiently. We recently cut the number of sports we offer—from 20 to 12—and the number of seasons we compete in—from three to two—in order to maximize our resources and have a more effective approach. We are also closely examining our Return-on-Investment in all of our special events, seeking to maximize our efforts in staff time as compared to dollars raised.
7. How do you see Special Olympics doing business differently in these economic times?
Besides what I mentioned above, we are working more aggressively to expose our brand, which is one of the most respected in the country. We are also building our volunteer base and relying more strongly on leadership in this area in order to reach significantly more athletes.
8. How has this business changed in the last 5-10 years?
I can only speak for our organization, where I served as a volunteer member of the Board of Directors before assuming this position. Everyone involved in a non-profit cause has a particular passion for it. However, Peter Drucker once said, “In order to do good, you must first do well.” I take that to mean that SOSC must—first and foremost—operate with solid business principles and a keen eye on the bottom line. We have taken a very strategic approach to future growth and success in our organization, once we get through this difficult economic period.
9. What qualities have you always looked for when recruiting senior leadership positions?
First and foremost, I need to be able to have trust in any of our key leaders. I have to be confident of their personal character and honesty, as well as their work ethic. Another key for me is how they relate to other people. It doesn’t matter what walk of life you serve in, personal relationships are paramount at every level—especially in leadership.
10. If I had it to do all over again, I would…..
start by taking more law and economic classes in school to further my frame of reference in these key areas. I’ve been fortunate to “learn by the seat of my pants” in some key areas such as these, but I certainly would have benefitted from a more thorough and well-rounded education. That’s why I’m such a big supporter of CSULB’s Graduate Program in Sport Management!
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Additional Background on special olympics
Special Olympics Southern California serves more than 11,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities in an 11-county region of southern California. The program offers sports training and competition in 23 Olympic-sanctioned individual and team sports on a year-round basis. Athletes range in age from eight to 80. SOSC is one of 52 accredited Special Olympics entities operating in the United States.
