By: Brady Hart ('13)
Christina Ramos is no stranger to hard work. Originally picked to be the 75th Anniversary Coordinator for the Orange Bowl game, this University of Florida graduate has risen quickly through the ranks since joining the staff in 2007. Currently, Ramos is the Partnership Services and Fulfillment Coordinator for the Orange Bowl Committee. She spends most of her days corresponding with the decision-makers and athletic liaisons from various Orange Bowl Sponsors.
While ascending through the ranks of one of football’s most prestigious bowls, Ramos repeatedly referenced the significance of being diligent. At the 2011 Sports Business Forum, Ramos stressed the importance of being resourceful in an attempt to offer unique experiences and opportunities for her partners.
Along with hard work and supreme dedication to one’s craft, Ramos believes in being sincere in everything you do. “If you make a mistake, learn from it” says Ramos; she believes if you learn from your mistakes and vow never to repeat them, you have successfully turned a negative into a positive. Such an optimistic and bright view comes easy for this South Florida native. Christina loves her job, being in charge of and planning events, meeting partners from across the nation, and having creative leeway are listed as perks by Ramos. The best perk though was when this self-proclaimed cupcake connoisseur got management to adopt her suggestion to create an official Orange Bowl cupcake.
While much of her work is exciting and fun, Ramos admits that there are some challenging and somewhat daunting tasks associated with her position. Although a problem may not directly affect Ramos, she notices and strives to fix anything that detracts from a fan’s experience. Ramos made sure she was involved with debriefing conversations centered around making the Orange Bowl even more spectacular in 2012. Christina has made it a habit not to sweat the small stuff, but she refuses to relent in her quest for excellence.
In 2010, the Orange Bowl signed a brand new deal with Discover, ending a twenty-year partnership with FedEx. Despite the conclusion of the FedEx era of the Orange Bowl, Discover is prepared to ensure a mutually beneficial relationship. Ramos notices, “that Discover activates well and they take the partnership seriously; we could not ask for anything more.” In addition to a new title sponsor, the Orange Bowl is ramping up its community involvement. Ramos asserts that the Orange Bowl has always shown commitment to the community, yet a fresh new series of public service announcements is reinforcing their dedication to the people and businesses of South Florida.
Christina Ramos held the attention of her audience by sharing exclusive knowledge about one of America’s favorite bowl games. However, the behind-the-scenes stories were not all this presenter had to offer. Ramos left the group of aspiring sports industry employees with some tips on how to make themselves valuable. Tidbits such as: attention to details, finding ways to make oneself valuable, and taking advantage of the people you meet were all factors that Christina contributes to her success. Ramos notes that she discovered at a young age that “being good at what you do” and “just getting it done” correlates directly to success. For Christina Ramos, it certainly paid to Discover!
