Jeff Rubin’s Post

📣 Attention New York City 'Cuse grads! I'll be in the Big Apple for a special Syracuse University iSchool alumni event this Thursday! Join me at Gabriel's @ 40 Central Park South from 6 to 8:30 p.m., where I'll share insights on the exciting world of digital transformation, including our cutting-edge AI initiatives at Syracuse University.🍊 But most importantly, I can't wait to reconnect with all the friendly faces of our incredible alumni community! 😄 It's been too long, and I'm eager to catch up! If you're in the area, please join me for an evening of networking, learning, and fun! Let's show NYC the power of the Orange network! For more details and to RSVP, click here: https://lnkd.in/gtsWxbwv #SUAlumni #iSchool #DigitalTransformation #ArtificialIntelligence

Yesterday, I attended the NACDA / College Sports Communicators conference in Vegas, and today, I had the privilege of participating in The White House's AI Aspirations conference in Washington, D.C. The one-day conference focused on developing a vision for harnessing artificial intelligence to achieve America's great ambitions. As we've seen with the Internet and social media, failing to establish proper guardrails early on can have significant consequences. We must learn from these experiences and ensure we put the necessary measures in place for AI. The conference featured an impressive lineup of speakers, including Senators Senator Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Senator Mark Warner, the Secretary of Commerce, the Director of the National Science Foundation, and the Secretary of Education. They discussed the intersection of AI with various sectors such as energy, weather, health, education, and transportation. During lunch, I had an interesting encounter with a gentleman who approached my table and noticed my name tag. He mentioned that he had worked at Duke for most of his career and is now in his second stint at the FDA. When I asked him about his current role at the FDA, he politely informed me that he was Robert Califf, the FDA Commissioner. I have a lot to learn about who is who in our government! 😂 On a related note, it was great to catch up with Mike Harasimowicz, who served with me on the Syracuse University School of Information Studies board of advisors! I am fascinated by all the advancements in AI and look forward to executing an AI strategy at Syracuse University.

28 years ago, I started a company that became SIDEARM Sports. Since then, I have had hundreds of incredible, intelligent, caring employees. I cannot believe we went from having a single college athletic client to having over 1,600 across the United States and Canada. We captured over 95% of the NCAA DI market and over 90% of all NCAA programs. Most importantly, I served thousands of dedicated sports professionals who trusted me, our employees, and our product. Ten years ago, SIDEARM Sports was acquired by LEARFIELD, and many colleagues told me that LEARFIELD would keep me around for six months and then kick me to the curb. That did not happen. I remained president of SIDEARM and, more recently, was trusted to serve as EVP of digital for LEARFIELD.  Overall, I have 28 years of incredible memories with incredible people. There was not a single day that I did not look forward to going to the office. Not one! I absolutely love the people, the company, and the industry. So why did I choose to leave? The only place I have been longer than SIDEARM is Syracuse University. I started there as a freshman in 1991, continued through a master’s program, and started teaching in 1996. Syracuse University has given me so much, and when I was given the opportunity to serve as the university's first SVP and Chief Digital Officer, I could not find a reason to say no. Taking on new challenges with a new set of incredible people is invigorating. Helping shape the digital future for my alma mater is humbling; getting a second chance to do something I am passionate about for a place I care so much about, well, that is lucky. I have been in this new role for the past month, and there has not been a day I haven’t been excited to go to the office. That does not mean I do not miss my SIDEARM/LEARFIELD crew or my friends in college athletics, as I deeply miss those interactions. However, the relationships I formed are stronger than a place of employment. I look forward to staying connected and watching everyone grow and succeed in the changing world of college athletics. I don’t know the word limit for a LinkedIn post, but I believe I would run out of room if I tried to thank everyone by name. Whether I learned from you, or you learned from me, whether we shared a vision or disagreed on the future, whether we had one interaction or a thousand, I thank you for making the past 28 years memorable. Jeff https://lnkd.in/g9FKYpdy

I do not do well with awards because I would not be where I am if I were not surrounded by the incredible team SIDEARM Sports and LEARFIELD, and of course, everyone affiliated with College Sports Communicators. I wake up every day excited and motivated to serve others and move the needle in the ever-changing environment of college sports and technology. I am humbled. honored, and truthfully at a loss of words for this recognition. A heartfelt thank you to ALL of our partners/clients in college sports. The truth is, these are more than business relationships; they are friendships. I am blessed to work in this industry and with athletic administrators who care about each other as much as they care about their programs.

Great to ideate, integrate, and execute this partnership with SIDEARM Sports, LEARFIELD, & Low6, allowing fans to compete in #freetoplay games across college athletics. This is fun and engaging, and you can win prizes... And who knows, perhaps someday down the road, if/when #wagering is allowed in the NCAA, you could place a bet on your predictions.

Who doesn't love a Cinderella story in March! Thank you Michael Smith for sharing these SIDEARM Sports metrics. https://lnkd.in/euBzJrN7

Quite a bit of effort by a lot of folks, but we pulled it off. Excited to have Syracuse University students back in the classroom... Well in this case the Dome! https://lnkd.in/eewMjH3

Don't like the spin the author took in this article (perhaps for clicks). Attendance has been used as a grading metric for centuries. Using beacons is simply an efficient way to take attendance in large classes (mine is over 300), and data proves it leads to higher grades. As long as the technology is only used for the purposes of the system, then it is NOT invasive. #beacons #attendance #classes #syracuseuniversity #washingtonpost https://lnkd.in/d5fh_2B

Pumped to be part of the NEXT Syracuse Conference next Friday. I get to talk about Technology in Sports with Quentin Hillsman, John Wildhack, and several other fantastic local leaders. The panel will be moderated by the great Sean Branagan. #sports #panel #syracuse #leaders #conference #technology #sportstech