On behalf of Pamplin School of Business, we extend our sincerest gratitude for your enthusiastic participation in our first-ever Chalk Talk event, “Beer, Business & Basketball.” The event garnered over 134 registrations of interest, ultimately welcoming new and old friends to campus. Your presence and engagement contributed immensely to the success of this unique and dynamic gathering.

We hope you found the Chalk Talk to be as informative and inspiring as we intended it to be. We wanted to celebrate the success of our alumni, Steve Waters, CEO Backwoods Brewing (2010) in his launch of the Rip City Remix IPA and Jim Etzel (CEO Sport Oregon) on positioning his organization to use sports as an economic development and growth lever for the state. And last but not least, we heard from Pooh Jeter, Player Development Coach for the Portland Trail Blazers and Assistant GM for the Rip City Remix (via video) on his thoughts of coming back to the Bluff, working in the Portland community and what it means to work with his players.

It was a great opportunity to recognize alumni and to see so many vibrant minds coming together to explore the intersections of beer culture, business strategies, and the world of basketball.

We trust that the diverse perspectives shared by our esteemed speakers left you with valuable insights and ideas to contemplate. The fusion of these seemingly unrelated elements—beer, business, and basketball—allowed for a rich and thought-provoking discussion that we hope will continue to resonate with you in your personal and professional endeavors.

Your active participation during the Q&A session and networking breaks added an extra layer of depth to the event, fostering connections and collaborations among our vibrant community of students, faculty, and industry professionals.

As we reflect on the success of “Beer, Business & Basketball,” we are inspired to continue creating events that push the boundaries of traditional business discussions and provide a platform for exploring innovative ideas. We look forward to welcoming you to future events and continuing this journey of discovery together.

Rip City Remix Interns (and Pamplin School of Business students, from Left to Right): Zach Lum, Avery Conner and Alex Pugis