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Assistant Director, Major Events & Programs

Administration & Clerical

I am currently working as an event manager and adviser in the department of Major Events & Programs at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey and am one of five advisers managing the Rutgers University Programming Association, a board of current students tasked with programming events on the five campuses of Rutgers University. I also serve as an Event Manager for Student Affairs-sponsored events at the University, specializing in creating meaningful and community-building events for Rutgers students such as the Involvement Fair, Homecoming Bed Races, New Student Carnivale and the Senior Days Luau.

I have over ten years of professional event management experience in both the profit and non-profit world. During that time I have produced and contributed to events in a variety of locations with varying budgets, complex timelines and extenuating circumstances. In addition, I have over fifteen years of experience managing and leading others in roles that included hiring and firing both salaried and non-salaried employees, training employees, and creating and implementing work place policies and procedures.

I have done event work of varying degrees for Red Bull Energy Drink, Burton Snowboards, Shiseido Cosmetics, and Subaru.

I received master's degree in writing studies from Saint Joseph's University in May 2008 with a 3.8 GPA- studying non-fiction and fiction writing, journalism, and editing and am an experienced freelance journalist. I was a contributor to UPROXX prior to joining Heavy.com in June.

Specialties: Communication, Brand Management, Community Liason, Working with Local Governments and Community Organizations, Scheduling, Volunteer Recruitment and Organization, Crew Management, Budget construction & management, Hiring- both salaried & non-salaried employees.

• Manage large-scale events on Rutgers five campuses to engage, educate and entertain the student body
• Advisor to two committees of the Rutgers University Programming Association (RUPA), overseeing their events, event planning, committee management and committee budgets
• Responsible for negotiating contracts and fees/rates with vendors, agents and performing artists
• Collaborate with other university departments on events, providing logistical and event insight and support
• Oversee recruitment, selection and training of new RUPA council members
• Routinely participate in the assessment of traditional events, specifically audience size and make-up, as well as whether or not programs met department standards and expectations
• Facilitate and organize group trainings for students and professional staff
• Assist with the creation and implementation of marketing collateral and materials for RUPA
• Design event venues and layouts for events in addition to creating map templates for wide

• Managed four Special Olympics’ state level competitions in Eastern Pennsylvania, each attended by 400-1000 athletes, 100-300 coaches and 300-3,000 volunteers
• Oversaw event logistics, contract negotiations, venue selection, volunteer recruitment, community involvement and project budgets
• Supported and advised college student-run event management committees
• Created Coach Handbooks, registration materials and scripts for Special Events for each competition
• Acted as company liaison to the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, responsible for assigning PIAA referees and officials to Special Olympics’ competitions across Pennsylvania

Associate Competition Director, East

- Red Bull Ball Park Cranks was a Red Bull branding event in Philadelphia on June 27, 2011 featuring professional baseball player Jimmy Rollins. Rollins was challenged by Red Bull to break the Guiness World Record for the longest batted ball. MSI was charged with the task of desiging a venue in the middle of Philadelphia to accomodate this unique event.
- Served as MSI's Project Manager/Operations Director/Competition Director.
- Responsible for creating event timelines, venue design, managing event staff, and sourcing vendors.
- Worked closely with Red Bull representatives, as well as officials from the city of Philadelphia and Fairmount Park.
- Event was broadcast live on ESPN

Operations Director/Competition Director

- National Agency Site Manager for Race Airport venue of San Diego Red Bull Air Race, June 2009. Responsible for managing local help, vendors and deliveries, as well as maintaining healthy, working relationships with local stakeholders and ensuring venue operated on a strict schedule.
- National Agency Site Manager for Race Airport venue of NYC Red Bull Air Race- June 2010. Responsible for managing local help, vendors and deliveries, as well as maintaining healthy, working relationships with local stakeholders. Performed a variety of pre-event duties such as meeting with stake holders, performing site visits, conducting feasibility studies and researching vendors.

Race Airport National Site Manager

• Supervised event logistics from New York to West Virginia for Red Bull Energy Drink
• Managed scheduling and day-to-day operations of MSI’s Mid-Atlantic territory, while working with Red Bull representatives of varying levels, in addition to various local vendors and event companies
• Recruited, hired and managed a crew of 20 salaried and non-salaried employees
• Contributed to MSI’s national events: Red Bull Air Race World Series (San Diego 2008, 2009, Detroit 2008, New York 2010), Red Bull Soap Box (Providence 2007, Cincinnati, San Francisco, and Denver 2008), and the U.S. Open of Snowboarding (Stratton Mountain, Vermont 2009, 2010)


Mid-Atlantic Logistics & Operations Manager

Find out detailed information about Ryan O'Connell, Assistant Director, Major Events & Programs in Point Pleasant, NJ

Ryan O'Connell: Assistant Director, Major Events & Programs in Point Pleasant, NJ

Ryan O'Connell

Goucher College

Saint Joseph's University