Ross Euteneuer ’09

Choosing to go south for college to get a change of scenery, Euteneuer has followed his dreams of working in sports and entertainment, especially in events and other brand management. His work has taken him to some of the country’s biggest events and allowed him to travel around the country.

“I chose Georgia Southern because I knew I wanted to major in sports management and they have one of the best nationally known programs in the country,” he says. “As a senior at the Prep, I was able to sit in on a sports management class, and that helped me see what life would be like. Dr. Willie J. Burden, now deceased, oversaw many of the program's initiatives and was the undergraduate program coordinator, and is a member of the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. He sold me on the program and I am really glad he did. It was a great fit for me.”

After graduating from Georgia Southern University, Euteneuer joined the Kansas City Chiefs, where he worked in event operations. On game days, he managed the corporate activation zone, which housed local and national vendors creating memorable experiences through various on-site promotions and activations. “Often, it was a place where there were lots of activities for kids and other fans,” Euteneuer says. He also managed the stadium tour program as well as served on the team that handled space rentals of the stadium to the public. “Each year I was with the Chiefs, I did something different and built onto my skill set,” he says. “It was a great launching pad into my career in sports.”

After three years in Kansas City, Euteneuer moved back to Georgia, settling in Atlanta to work for MKTG, an experiential marketing agency that works with various clients to create a wide variety of activations for their brands at local and national events. During his time at MKTG, Euteneuer worked with Wells Fargo to further grow and enhance the brand at numerous events throughout the country.

“MKTG had a lot of great clients and a national presence,” Euteneuer says. “They are very well known and have done a great job creating a national presence in experiential marketing. It was a good experience.”

He then went to the minor league Atlanta Gladiators hockey team, where he ran the game day operations, an experience that was new and exciting to him. From there, he took a position with Escape Game, where he “did everything from running the games to managing merchandise, taking payments, and managing the front of the house.”

The next step in his career path was going to be working in a new sport, baseball, with the Atlanta Braves. However, Ross had to transition away from this new role due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After nearly a year out of work, Euteneuer is now with the College Football Hall of Fame, working in roles such as guest services, exhibition management, and the box office. “We rotate so we all have a fresh look at different roles,” he says. “People fly in from all over the country to come to Atlanta and visit the College Football Hall of Fame. The College Football Hall of Fame is truly a remarkable destination in the city of Atlanta.” 

“It’s been a roller coaster ride, but I have no regrets because I get to pursue my passion,” he adds. “I’ve gotten to meet some great athletes, work with some great executives, and attend amazing events.” 

Through all of the changes, Euteneuer credits the Prep for his ability to adapt. “The Prep laid the foundation for me to grow personally and professionally as I was challenged mentally, physically, and spiritually there,” he says. “To this day, I love what the Prep stands for, being Men For Others. AMDG is a creed that is something you can live by daily if you understand how the Prep can instill those values in you early on. I have used them and implemented them in my life.”

Though he had to work hard to achieve academically at the Prep, it set him on a course for academic excellence: he graduated with honors from Georgia Southern, earned a master's degree from Georgetown, and is now working toward an MBA from Villanova. “From an educational perspective, I learned how to study, how to manage my time, and how to work to be set up for success long term,” he says.  

Euteneuer is active with the Prep’s Young Alumni Leadership Council and serves as a mentor to students and other young alumni interested in his field. He is happy to be active with fellow Preppers and stresses that his Prep bonds “just mean more to me. If you have that Prep brand behind your name, it means a lot. No matter the differences, we are bonded by the Prep and the experiences we had there.”