Mediation Expertise Areas: Business, Commercial

Chris is a native of Atlanta, GA that went to his home state University of Georgia where he completed his degree while also starting as a Rover on the 1980 National Championship football team. After graduating with his business degree in 1981 he completed his law degree at the University of Georgia School of Law in 1985.

Following his graduation, Chris began practicing law at the Atlanta firm of King & Spalding in before being approached to lead the sponsorship and marketing efforts for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG) in 1991. He was eventually named Vice President of Marketing for ACOG where he was responsible for, among other things, the development of corporate sponsorships, sponsor service and support structure and coordination for ACOG operational functions. With Chris leading these efforts the Atlanta domestic partnership program broke record after record for revenue created. This framework remains the model employed by the Olympic Organization Committee to this day.

Immediately following the Atlanta Games, Chris Co-founded Meridian Management, SA and reached an agreement with the IOC for Meridian to manage future marketing related functions. Among these were brand management, sponsorships, strategy development and administration and distribution of revenues. Meridian’s role quickly expanded, in large part due to Chris’s leadership, to include IOC guidance with respect to international broadcast bids and rights negotiations. During its tenure, Meridian increased IOC Sponsorship from $200 million per four year term to over 1 Billion in its last four year term.

Following the sale of Meridian to the IOC, Chris became CEO of Helios Partners, an international sport marketing consultancy. Under Helios, Chris advised sports and sponsorship companies in various capacities from strategy, development through deal negotiation to execution and implementation. Understanding the needs and values of sports properties potential led to a very successful record of crafting mutually beneficial and successful relationships.

In June of 2014 Chris then became the CEO of the United State Equestrian Federation (USEF) where he was charged with the governance of Equestrian sport at all level from the US Equestrian team to grassroots and local competitions. He maintained this position until 2016 when he returned to Atlanta where he resides with his wife, Michele.