In The Windy City

From the Windy Village to the Windy City

For Kevin Saghy, BA ’07, the road to Wrigley had nothing to do with his batting average. Instead, it began at Ohio Northern with a degree in public relations.

“It’s always been my dream to work in sports, particularly baseball or basketball. Entering college, I knew I wanted to work in public relations. By my sophomore year, I figured I’d be moving to a big city like Chicago. I had a framed poster of Wrigley Field on my wall during my last years in college, and now I’m working there and living just down the street. It really is a dream,” he said.

After working for a public relations agency, Ketchum, in Chicago for nearly three years and winning the Young PR Professional of the Year last year, Saghy learned of the position with the Cubs and applied immediately. He went through a series of interviews and eventually earned a job in sports marketing working with an organization he loves.

Now he does public relations and marketing for anything the Cubs do off the field, including marketing initiatives and charitable efforts such as Cubs Care grants, fundraising events and player-driven campaigns.

While at ONU, Saghy completed several internships and worked with people like Dr. Steven Iseman, professor of communication arts and public relations, who helped him to network and become active at a national level. Saghy served as national president of the Public Relations Student Society of America during his senior year. He also credits much of his writing and sports experience to ONU sports information department and its director, Tim Glon.

Saghy was hired by the Cubs during a transition period. Since the Ricketts family bought the team in 2009, the Cubs have been working to reenergize their fans. While their number-one goal is always to build a winning team, they have also put a new focus on improving the fan experience, something Saghy has become familiar with.

Recently, the Cubs have been working more with social media such as Twitter, for which Saghy created CubsInsider, a page that gives fans the opportunity to get “insider” information, ask questions and share opinions.

Despite not winning the Major League Baseball championship since 1908, the Cubs have a “passionate fan base” with strong opinions about the team. “Everything we do is so visible. We have millions of fans not only in Chicago but across the globe as well, and everyone loves to weigh in on what the team is doing,” said Saghy. “It makes my job exciting and challenging at the same time.”

Though the job comes with stress, the benefits outweigh the challenges. “At the end of the day, I work for one of my favorite teams in sports. There’s nothing better than that.”

Justine Anderson

Senior professional writing major from Virginia Beach, Va.