Alumni Stories – Brad Kozak

Business Administration, Marketing

Graduated 2011

Brad Kozak’s college experience is proof positive that a homecoming can be the best thing for our career. After moving to the United States from Mississauga, Ontario to pursue a baseball scholarship, Kozak spent three years at two different colleges in New York and Pennsylvania to study sports business. “I’d always had my sights on business and sports,” says Kozak. His aunt, a high school guidance counsellor, suggested he move back home and transfer to George Brown College’s Business Administration - Marketing program to hone his marketing and advertising skills specifically. Upon returning, he enrolled in service and non-profit marketing classes that offered not only project-based skills development models, but opportunities to meet industry professionals in the fields he was most interested in. “We would work with actual companies to produce campaigns. It opened my eyes to a side of marketing and business that I had not seen before.” A particularly favourite memory of his is a speed dating-style school event that allowed him and his classmates to chat up industry professionals.

After working as a sales rep at an online-based coupon site and starting his own marketing consulting service, Kozak landed a dream job in his ideal field back in the United States. He currently works in new business development with Lakeview Productions, a golf marketing firm that produces public relations campaigns for golf destinations and courses across North America. The position’s a perfect match: he both works in sports marketing and gets to enjoy the game a few times a week.

“I will always look at George Brown College as the place that got me focused on what I wanted to do,” he says. “It set me up to work as hard as I do now. We produced such good work in group projects that I even hold onto them now to remind me of what we accomplished.”

Brad’s Advice for Success
“I think people over look this skill, but you should learn how to talk to people in college. I’ve kept that with me and continue to grow my network. People do business with people they like; relationship skills are important.”