Not many people chase their dream. Ira Frankel is not only living his dream, but doing a good job as a young man in sports marketing.
Ira Frankel was originally born in New York City, and moved to Maryland when he was six. It was there Ira grew up and decided to attend Towson University. Ira chose Towson after visiting several big public institutions but liked the size of Towson’s campus and the proximity the university was to his family.
Ira, like many others, was recruited by a friend to join a fraternity. Ted Gardiner was president of the Eta Xi Chapter of Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity, and sold the benefits of the organization to Ira. In 1997, Ira joined and pledged with nine other men. He did not hold any leadership positions, but did live up to his oath as a devoted member. He was very involved on campus, and as an upperclassmen, was selected by the campus administration to serve on a task force that would tackle alcohol abuse and other serious challenges facing college students.
During Ira’s senior year, he interned for the MCI Center in Washington, D.C. Upon graduating in the spring of 1999 with a major in Mass Communications, Ira was hired full-time by the MCI Center. He started off as a Media Coordinator and has since been promoted five times. His current role is Director of Database Marketing where his duties cover e-commerce, customer relation solutions, working with ticketmaster.com, overseeing e-mail and direct mailing campaigns, and most importantly – marketing the MCI Center’s products. Ira loves what he does, who he works for, and even has some pretty interesting perks, including working with Michael Jordan when he was with the Washington Wizards.
Delta Sig has had a tremendous impact on Ira’s life. After joining, the Fraternity opened up doors for campus involvement. “Delta Sigma Phi, like many others, has helped me become who I am today. In college, I formed many friendships that still carry on to this day,” Ira stated. He noted that even though he did not hold a titled position, he felt like a leader within. Learning how to multi-task, manage his time, and stay organized were very important skills he learned as an undergraduate that are used day-in and day-out.
Thinking about his most fond memory, Ira said, “the brotherhood. The feeling of no matter where you go, you are always with them. Someone you can talk to and with whom you can relate.” He recalled that the Eta Xi Chapter had a great group of friends that served as a support system for everyone.
When asked who has been most influential in his life, Ira noted a few individuals. In his work, he looks up to Susan O’Malley, President of the Washington Wizards, and one of the few female chief executives in professional sports. His parents have always been great role models. They taught him the value of hard work and always doing your best. Most important to Ira now is his wife, Joanna, whom he has been married to since October 2005.
Ira’s advice to Delta Sig undergraduates is “make sure you get an internship or some sort of hands-on experience while an undergraduate; be willing to take that dive, and network yourself – talk to people and form relationships.
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