The World Famous Harlem Globetrotters announced today that Sunni Hickman has been named vice president of marketing and sales.
Hickman joins the Globetrotters from Herschend Family Entertainment, where she served as director of integrated marketing communications for the past three years. Before joining Herschend, she worked for The Dollywood Company as the vice president of marketing. During her time at Dollywood, Hickman was responsible for driving theme park admissions revenue through effective marketing and sales strategies centered around a new products, festivals, and events. Among her many successes at Dollywood was the brand development and launch of the park’s Great Pumpkin LumiNights event, which was named the No. 1 Fall Event by USA Today, yielding substantial admissions revenue growth. The event was a recipient of other industry awards and has been replicated at other properties across Herschend.
She also spent time at Atlanta-based agency Creaxion, where she was the vice president of marketing, leading the agency’s client services which included strategic planning, sponsorship development and activation, integrated marketing communications, and event planning. Her clients included brands in the live event, consumer products, technology, and entertainment categories.
With the Globetrotters, Hickman will oversee the marketing and sales division. She will be responsible for brand development, live event marketing, and non-gate revenue verticals for the company. Hickman will be a driving force on building the storied Harlem Globetrotters brand to new heights, elevating talent, and helping to introduce new business verticals that better connect and engage new and existing audiences.
“Sunni has successfully demonstrated her abilities with Herschend over the past six years, and her strategic approach, combined with her experience and expertise in brand building and marketing, is the perfect fit for the role,” said Globetrotter Executive Vice President and General Manager Jeff Munn. “We welcome her leadership style and her ability to connect people to unique experiences.” A native of Dayton, Ohio, Hickman is a graduate of Clark Atlanta University. She and her husband Jamaal have three children and two grandchildren and reside in the Atlanta area.
Harlem Globetrotters have showcased their iconic talents in 124 countries and territories on six continents, often breaking down cultural and societal barriers while providing fans with their first-ever basketball experience. Proud inductees of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the Globetrotters have entertained hundreds of millions of fans – among them popes, kings, queens, and presidents – over nine thrilling decades. The Ambassadors of Goodwill are sponsored by Baden Sports, the Official Basketball, and Champion, the Official Uniform & Apparel provider. Harlem Globetrotters International, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Herschend Enterprises, the largest family-owned themed entertainment company in the U.S. For the latest news and information about the Harlem Globetrotters, visit the Globetrotters’ official Web site: www.harlemglobetrotters.com
Photo credit: PRNewsfoto/Harlem Globetrotters.
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