NEW YORK The U.S. Olympic Committee has appointed former National Football League executive Lisa Baird to the CMO post vacated by Rick Burton, who resigned in November.
Baird will lead the USOC's sales and marketing divisions, including contract renewals with top clients like AT&T, Bank of America and Kellogg's. The post goes into effect next week.
Prior to joining the USOC, Baird was a consultant at Brand Value Advisors, a private equity, mergers and acquisitions firm. Before that, she was svp, marketing and consumer products for the NFL. At the NFL, Baird oversaw direct marketing, e-commerce, entertainment marketing and advertising programs. She is also credited with helping to develop the league's first consumer-generated spots, which ran during the 2006 Super Bowl.
From 1999 to 2005, Baird served as advertising vp, and later as svp, worldwide marketing communications at IBM. Her background also spans the automotive and consumer packaged-goods industries, with marketing positions at 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 statement. "Lisa recognizes the importance of delivering not only service and support, but innovative thinking and creative solutions to our family of corporate partners."
