Ryan McNeil knows football. Currently with the San Diego Chargers, this veteran Pro Bowl defensive back has been playing professionally for nine years. Although he is still making plays on the field, perhaps just as important are his business decisions off the field.
Showing the same dedication and pledge to excellence in business as in football, McNeil serves as President and CEO of McNeil Management, Inc. He is committed to sharing with his peers the skills he has acquired as a professional athlete and as a professional businessman.
After years of conceptualization, McNeil has established the Professional Business and Financial Network (PBFN), an association exclusively for professional athletes focused on business skills development and peer networking opportunities.
Mr. McNeil formed PBFN to assist other athletes with an area often overlooked – life after the game. He believes that athletes themselves should shoulder the burden of assuring their continued successes. For this reason, PBFN’s goal is to provide members with an opportunity to create a new self-sufficient business identity separate and apart from their athletic identities.
The organization is open to all current and former professional athletes from all sports, worldwide. In McNeil’s opinion, ‘Many of the characteristics and skills it takes to be successful in professional sports are the same as in ‘real-life’ business. PBFN will facilitate the honing of these skills now for success later.’
He adds, ‘Empowerment is the goal. As new skills are developed and learned, my hope is this knowledge will continue to be shared by all until a ‘domino effect’ takes place and changes the way professional athletes think about their futures.’
PBFN, an organization created by athletes, for athletes, is a new resource that will help facilitate a seamless transition from athletics to business. As more athletes develop their business skills, one inevitable result is more jobs being created for the communities they live in. Athletes even have an edge over traditional business start ups, in that they typically have a respected, high profile image within their community.
This positive image, coupled with unique human and financial resources that most professional athletes possess, creates a natural attraction to consumers and increases visitors to the area that will positively impact the local economy.
This May, PBFN members will converge in Dallas, TX for the first annual PBFN Business Skills and Development Conference. This unique two-day conference brings members together for networking, business building, and professional development. Seasoned professionals both from within and outside professional athletics will lead hands-on workshops.
Keynote speakers to include NFL Hall of Famers and successful entrepreneurs, Roger Staubach and Franco Harris, along with author and renowned business expert, Terrie Williams.
For more information please contact:
Professional Business and Financial Network
T: +1.877.PBFN.ORG
W: www.pbfn.org
Melissa Gillespie
T: 1.877.723.6674, x.1 or 760.522.4362,
E: melissa.gillespie@myvirtualcorp.com
Larry Lundy
T: 972.778.7742
E: larry.lundy@hostcommunications.com