About Us
Nick Schmitz, President/ CEO
Nick Schmitz is the President/ CEO of the Phoenix Celebrity Classic, as well as the President of Direct Sportslink's Celebrity Appearances Division, a national sports marketing company with three core business divisions that secure sports celebrity speakers, sports celebrity appearances, and sports celebrity endorsements for corporations and other interested parties. Before Direct Sportslink , Nick served as the President of the Celebrity Players Tour, a premier celebrity golf tour. Prior to his role as President of the CPT, Nick worked on a joint venture sports marketing team with Michael Goldberg, President of National Media Group; Neal Pilson, Former President of CBS Sports and President of Pilson Communications; and Ray Harmon, Former Senior Executive at CBS Sports and President of RFH Media Ltd.
Nick's experience selling a broad range of sports properties including: NBA, NHL, NASCAR, and Celebrity Golf has given him a unique ability on how to package and sell a variety of different assets for his clients. In addition, during the past 7+ years, Nick has worked on a daily basis with numerous sports celebrities, including the likes of Marcus Allen, Clyde Drexler, Charles Barkley, and Eric Dickerson to name a few. Nick is a graduate of Duke University and currently resides in Phoenix.
Domenic A. Mantella, VP of Operations
Domenic A. Mantella graduated from Arizona State University in 1997, where he worked with the Sun Devils’ Football Department for five seasons. As a football manager, Domenic developed an understanding of the sports representation business through his close relationships with administrators, coaches, and athletes. Immediately upon graduation, Domenic started working at Steinberg, Moorad and Dunn, where he worked for three years. In 2000, Domenic took a position as Associate at Athletes First in Newport Beach, CA. He has over ten years of experience in the sports representation business.
Domenic has worked with numerous athletes, including the likes of Carson Palmer, Jared Allen, Amani Toomer, Drew Bledsoe, Reggie Wayne and former ASU standouts Jake Plummer and Todd Heap.
Domenic also assisted with marketing, radio, television appearances and charity events such as the Athletes First Classic, Jake Plummer’s Bowl-O-Rama and the Carson Palmer Open.
Domenic is the VP of Operations of the Phoenix Celebrity Classic and is responsible for overseeing all day-to-day operations of the event. He played an integral role in the first annual Phoenix Celebrity Classic held on May 7-10, 2008.
Domenic is a native of Pittsburgh, PA and although he currently resides in Scottsdale, he remains a die-hard Steelers fan.
Dannette Winn, VP of Business Development
Dannette's career focusing on sales, fundraising and community leadership, make her an asset as the Phoenix Celebrity Classic's VP of Business Development.
Dannette received her BS in Marketing and Management from the University of Washington in 2001, with a minor in Non Profits and a nationally recognized certification in American Humanics and Philanthropic Studies. She has been actively involved in the Phoenix community with Junior Achievements, Phoenix Children's Hospital, Rotary and the Volunteers for Hospice organization.
As a Team Leader for the Valley of the Sun United Way, she received the top fundraising award in 2001, bringing in over 1.3m in donations from the sports & entertainment industry.
Earning her real estate license in 2004, Dannette specializes in luxury properties in Scottsdale. As a Russ Lyon Sotheby's International Real Estate Agent and community leader, her affiliations with local business and community resources are the key to her ongoing success and the success for the upcoming Phoenix Celebrity Classic's 2009 Tournament.
A certified yoga instructor, Dannette currently resides in Old Town Scottsdale.
Matt Rickard, Co-Director of Business Development
Matt Rickard is a Co-Director of Business Development for the Phoenix Celebrity Classic. Matt's experience in the golf industry includes work with a variety of national sports management/marketing companies, tourism advocates, and destination management firms. With the Phoenix Celebrity Classic, Matt's focus is on developing marketing platforms and strategic partnerships with corporations to help them increase their revenue and brand awareness. In addition to his work in the golf industry, Matt has several years of experience in the heath and fitness/sports rehab arena. He currently owns and operates a company that develops medical educational tools for doctors. His diverse experience in unique industries has given him valuable experience in developing sensible strategic partnerships for his clients.
Matt graduated from The W.P. Carrey School of Business at Arizona State University, earning a business degree with an emphasis on small business and entrepreneurship. He has been involved in the community donating his time with organizations like St. Vincent De Paul and Special Olympics.
Eric Aguirre, Co-Director of Business Development
Eric Aguirre is a Co-Director of Business Development for the Phoenix Celebrity Classic. Additionally, Eric is currently a Director of Sales and Marketing for a wholly-owned subsidiary of Merrill Lynch where one of his key roles is creating new business partnerships with Fortune 1000 companies. A few of his high profile clients are Disney, Amgen and DreamWorks Animation SKG. Previously, Eric served as an equity analyst for an independent research firm that provided research to institutional investors. Eric holds a B.S. in Finance and Entrepreneurship from the Eller College of Business at the University of Arizona, where he was also a member of a number of organizations including Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity, Entrepreneurship Association, and the Sports Marketing Association. Eric has been involved with a number of philanthropic events with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, The Purple Palace (www.thepurplepalace.org), and is currently a mentor for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Arizona.