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bernard mullinDr. Bernie Mullin

Dr. Bernie Mullin is Chairman and CEO of The Aspire Group (TAG), a leading global management and marketing consulting business that partners with its clients in implementing “Next-Practices” to produce winning brands, revenue enhancement and strong sales and service cultures. TAG provides a distinct competitive advantage in maximizing organizational and marketing effectiveness, growing revenues and building an avid and sustainable fan base. Under his guidance, The Aspire Group has clients located in seven countries on four continents that represent best-in-class leagues, teams and brands. TAG’s purpose is best exemplified by the proprietary Fan Relationship Management Centers currently operating in the USA, Canada, and United Kingdom.

An internationally-acclaimed management and marketing consultant and speaker, who literally wrote the book, entitled “Sport Marketing”, Bernie has over 30 years of experience as a chief executive or senior director in iconic and highly visible sport and entertainment organizations. In his career, he has specialized predominantly in start-ups and turn-around situations, building winning organizations and developing people to sustained peak performance. Bernie and the Aspire staff have a highly successful track record of growing revenues and reducing losses in short time-frames, by creating and executing many of the "Next-Practices" programs that led to numerous league all-time attendance records, record revenue and profit growth and increased enterprise value.

Dr. Mullin was formerly the CEO Atlanta Hawks (NBA), Atlanta Thrashers (NHL) and Philips Arena; SVP- Marketing and Team Business at the NBA; SVP Business at MLB’s Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates; Vice Chancellor of Athletics at the University of Denver (NCAA); and Business School / Sport Management faculty member at the University of Massachusetts.


Prior to the Aspire Group, Dr. Mullin held the following positions:  


  • aspire_bullet President/CEO of the Atlanta Hawks (NBA); Atlanta Thrashers (NHL) and Philips Arena (2004-2008)
  • aspire_bullet SVP Marketing and Team Business Operations for the National Basketball Association (2000-2004)
  • aspire_bullet Vice Chancellor of Athletics, University of Denver (1995-1999)
  • aspire_bullet President/General Manager Denver Grizzlies (International Hockey League, 1993-1995)
  • aspire_bullet SVP- Business, Colorado Rockies (MLB, 1991-1993)
  • aspire_bullet SVP - Business Operations, Pittsburgh Pirates (MLB, 1986-1990)
  • aspire_bullet Professor of Sport Management and Marketing, University of Massachusetts (1977-1986)

British born, Bernie holds a Ph. D Business, MBA and MS Marketing from the University of Kansas and a BA Business Studies from Coventry University. Mullin has been active in the communities where he has lived, serving on the following boards: YMCA; Make a Wish Foundation; Sports Council and Visitor Convention Bureau. Bernie played semi-professional soccer for Oxford City FC in England and coached the Kansas University soccer team to the then Big-8 Championship. Married to Valerie Wilkinson, he has three children Julie, Lara, and Steven and step-son, Chad and three grand children Ian , Niame, and Roran. He is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma – the National Honor Society in Business, was dubbed “The Sports Marketing Guru” by Sports Illustrated and named the Boy Scouts of America “Peach of an Athlete Award” recipient in 2008.