About - Leverage Agency

Ben Sturner

CEO and Founder

Ben Sturner is the CEO and Founder of Leverage Agency. In 2005, Ben started Leverage in his New York City apartment and immediately brokered a 5-year, multi-million deal with Reebok that kick-started the sponsorship growth of the National Lacrosse League. 18 years later, Ben’s entrepreneurial spirit and passion have propelled Leverage to leadership status in sports and entertainment with global initiatives, owned-and-operated events, world-class clients and a one-of-a-kind mentorship program.

Ben and Leverage have been at the forefront of sports and pop culture through strategic and opportunistic endeavors. Among his many achievements over the last decade, Ben brought cricket to America through the Cricket All-Stars series, secured primary sponsors for American Pharoah’s electrifying Triple Crown run and Rich Strike’s 80-1 Kentucky Derby win, and own and produce the annual hockey game at Madison Square Garden between college’s most famous rivals – Harvard and Yale.

Ben elevated his passion for mentorship by creating the Manhattan Sports Business Academy in 2014, which brings students to NYC for internships with premium sports organizations and immersion into the sports business world. He secured partners such as Gatorade, Fila, MLB, NBA, MLS and NFL. The inaugural class featured 25 students and applications are in the hundreds for this year’s class.

Ben and the Leverage team were featured in this 2017 issue of AdWeek with the headline: “Leveraging the Moment: From the Super Bowl to the Celebrity Apprentice, Leverage Agency has become a Major Player in Sports and Entertainment.” He has made television appearances on ESPN, NBC, CBS and CNBC, and has been quoted in top newspapers and trades including USA TODAY, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, AdWeek and Sports Business Journal.

Prior to starting Leverage, Ben was the Director of Marketing for Bennett Global Marketing Group where he worked on sponsorship deals for clients such as Dunkin' Donuts, Reebok, Manchester United and Level Vodka.

Ben sits on the board of advisors for a variety of organizations including Boston University Athletics, Brooklyn's High School of Sports Management, Ivy Sports Symposium and the Sports Executive Association. Ben earned his bachelor's degree with cum laude honors from Boston University where he played on the tennis team. He resides in Orlando, FL, with his wife Kimberly and two young sons, William and Cameron.

Chris Brown

Chief Operating Officer

Chris has more than 25 years experience in sports and entertainment consulting to global brands like Coca-Cola, UPS, Kellogg’s, IBM, and GE. An experienced entrepreneur, Chris has built and sold five sales and marketing companies including two global sports marketing agencies. At Leverage, Chris manages all of the strategic, operational, and administrative functions of the agency.

Kevin McIntyre

SVP, Sponsorship Sales

Kevin McIntyre has 25 years of experience in sports and entertainment media and sponsorship sales, having brokered partnerships featuring Creators, Sports and Gaming properties such as Major League Gaming, NASCAR, International Soccer, and Super Bowl, as well as Entertainment platforms like the Jimmy Kimmel Live Show and Celebrity Apprentice. He has built and negotiated Sponsorships with brands such as Progressive Insurance, The US Army & US Marine Corps, Perio/Barbasol, Bank of America, Lifelock, Gillette, GEICO, and the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA). Kevin’s expertise is in Sponsorship Sales and the Negotiation of mid and large-scale Partnerships, Sales Management, Revenue Forecasting, Media Rights and the building of Sponsorships which drive significant Earned Media.

Bob Dudelson

SENIOR VP MEDIA & SPONSORSHIP

Bob Dudelson has served in senior sponsorship and advertising sales and operational leadership roles for over 35 years with an extended track record of success in building corporate partnerships with professional sports leagues, stadiums, television media properties, national events and Broadway theaters. Bob has been personally responsible for securing more than $10,000,000 in gross sponsorship and advertising revenue.

Prior to the Leverage Agency, Bob spent 12 years at the International Management Group (IMG) where he was responsible for all media and sponsorship sales for IMG's Television and Events Division, which produced over 500 hours of sports programming nationwide. While at IMG, in addition to leading the acquisition of, and sales efforts for, numerous national and global clients, he negotiated the four-year $10 million BCS Sugar Bowl sponsorship deal on behalf of Nokia, generating over $1 million in annual revenue.

Omar Khan

Managing Director, Europe, Middle East & Africa

Omar has had a 25-year career in the sports and entertainment marketing sectors. Prior to joining Lycamobile as their Global Head of Sponsorship and Events, he sold his 10-year-old business to Capitalise in 2012. He has served as CEO for Trinidad Red Steel in the Caribbean Premier League and has consulted for WPP, Chime Sports Marketing and IMG, as well as advising Bet 365, Cockspur Rum, Northern Trust, Kingfisher Beer and Lycamobile on successful marketing partnership campaigns.

Stephanie Schwartz

Chief Communications and Account Officer

Stephanie Schwartz is a global marketing, communications and business development executive with experience spanning the corporate, non-profit and startup sectors.

A customer centricity evangelist with an opportunistic approach, she has served in leadership positions at global brands including the NBA and Yale University, and played an instrumental role in driving both revenue and reputation here and abroad.

David Kim

VP Brand Development & Sponsorship

David Kim is a VP of Sponsorships and Brand Development at Leverage Agency. An industry veteran with over 25+ years of experience in sports and entertainment with $175M+ in partnerships sales. David has served in senior brand development, media, and collaboration sales and event operations for universities, conferences, and lifestyle sports properties.

Before joining Leverage, David spent 15 years leading the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) Sponsorship Services and Experiential Activation division. This division executes and leverages national, regional, and local partnerships, event-specific Sponsors, and media rights deals with Amazon Prime, NBC Sports, Fox Sports,and ESPN. AVP is the premier beach lifestyle sport in America.

Daniel Haas

Account Executive

Daniel Haas is an Account Executive at Leverage Agency, where he builds relationships with brands and helps them navigate sponsorship opportunities across sports and entertainment. His role encompasses brand outreach, negotiation, activation development, and industry research. He also helps coordinate key accounts, working closely with properties to manage day-to-day needs and long-term planning.

Before Leverage, Daniel worked in partnerships at Andiem, a basketball sneaker startup, giving him a strong understanding of the brand side of the industry. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis.

Donald McIver

Chief Administrative Officer

Don is a professional services management veteran specializing in agency operations, organizational development, and business leadership. At Leverage, he is responsible for HR, Finance, and operational management for the firm.

Don has significant experience driving corporate growth and developing strategic business initiatives. He also has expertise in tracking inefficiencies, HR management and compliance, information technology and telecommunications, facilities and office management, and benefit plan selection.

Don is also president of Your COO, an operations management consulting company. Previously, he held executive level positions at several major professional services firms, implementing new budget forecasting and modeling that improved financial decision-making and reduced operational costs significantly. He also sharply reduced employee turnover by improving recruiting processes, enhancing employee welfare benefits, and implementing employee training and development programs. Don’s work for clients has resulted in significant increases in revenue and profitability through the execution of operational improvements.

Don has an MBA from Iona College and a BA from Montclair State University.

Benjamin Case

Partnership Strategy Lead

Ben is a Partnership Strategy Lead at Leverage Agency, developing brand marketing and sponsorship strategies on behalf of Leverage’s global and US clients. Internally, he has helped to maximize efficiency by integrating the company’s current communications and CRM platforms. Having graduated from the program himself, Ben takes great pride in managing the Leverage associate program.

Ben grew up in London, England and earned his bachelor's degree from Duke University.

Justin Wilson

Account Coordinator

Justin Wilson is an Account Executive at Leverage Agency, where he works across sports and entertainment properties to build impactful brand partnerships. His role focuses on brand outreach, partnership strategy, sponsorship negotiation, activation development, and industry research — helping brands connect authentically with high-value sports platforms.

Before Leverage, Justin worked in the endorsements and voice-over group at United Talent Agency, supporting the execution of brand partnership campaigns for a wide range of talent. He also gained hands-on college athletics experience through his work with Duke Football’s recruiting operations.

A Metro Detroit native, Justin earned his bachelor’s degree in Media Studies from Duke University.

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