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Note: This story appeared in the Fall 2019 November edition of CoSIDA 360 Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.
Five Questions with Todd Bell
Western Collegiate Hockey Association, Marketing & Communications Director
by Larry Happel – Central College, Director of Athletics Relations
A media relations and press operations expert with nearly 30 years of experience at the collegiate, professional and international levels, Bell’s resumé features a broad base of event work that includes the Summer and Winter Olympics, the Stanley Cup playoffs, Super Bowl XLV, three NCAA Final Fours and the College Football Playoff.
1. Talk about your career path and what attracted you to the types of jobs you’ve held. Why would you give up living in the Sun Belt for a job in Minnesota in January?
Well, second part first. After 30 years primarily spent in Texas and the Southeast, I was ready to move back to the Midwest and the WCHA position gave me an opportunity to work with a sport I’d had a long interest in and bring me closer to home at the same time.
As for my career path, I realized while I was in college that this was what I wanted to do after working in the sports information department at St. Thomas. My first three jobs at Houston, Arkansas and Michigan were all internships working for three very unique bosses who gave me different perspectives on the position at each stop.
Through the years since then, I’ve been drawn to jobs that intrigued me due to the sports involved or the chance to step outside my comfort zone and try something different.
2. Most of your career has been spent working in non-campus communications positions, yet you’re a long-time CoSIDA member. What benefits do you see from that?
If you work in this profession, you need to be a member of CoSIDA, whether you’re on-campus or not. The year-round professional development resources alone are worth the cost of membership. I also think the opportunity for networking with communications pros nationwide is very important as well. We’re all looking for ways to do our jobs more efficiently and effectively. CoSIDA provides an avenue to stay up to speed with changes in the industry.
Todd Bell, pictured here at a press conference introducing the new WCHA women’s commissioner last June, is in his second season as the Marketing and Communications Manager with the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
3. Are there ways that CoSIDA could better serve members from governing bodies and organizations?
I think the conference breakout sessions are a great addition to the CoSIDA convention schedule and the opportunity for conference communications professionals to serve on the board is a great way for our voices to be heard as well.
The CoSIDA leadership has been very proactive in developing educational opportunities for all levels of the profession and that’s good to see.
4. How does the rhythm and focus of your work differ from that of campus professionals?
The rhythm here is different from campus and probably from other conferences as well as we just sponsor one sport so our focus is solely on hockey year-round. Having only been here a short time, I would say the biggest difference so far is the ability to devote 100 percent of your time to a single sport.
5. What do you like best about your work and what keeps you in it?
When I started in this profession I never anticipated the doors it would open or the opportunities it would present. It’s taken me around the world and given me a behind-the-scenes seat at a lot of major events over the years. But what means the most to me is the people I’ve met, friends I’ve made and the student-athletes and coaches I’ve had the opportunity to work with over the years.
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