Showing posts with label Kate Hovey Witherspoon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kate Hovey Witherspoon. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

John Walker '06

Lifestyle and Digital Marketing Coordinator,
Busch Entertainment Corporation


q: What do you do?
a: Deliver our brands into the everyday lives of consumers through emerging media including Facebook, Twitter, web development and blogs. Conversations are happening about us regardless, so I enjoy seeking them out and having day-to-day interaction with brand advocates who speak highly of us.
q: What's your favorite part of the job?
a: I get to go on Facebook and Twitter while I'm at work! In all seriousness, it makes me happy seeing how the digital community responds to what we do...whether through a blog post, tweet, or even fan mail. Some little girls hand colored a card that said "Shamu, you're our favorite whale" and mailed it to us. This is all because their Mom won a Shamu plush, t-shirt and hat through a Twitter contest. It's funny how the smallest gift of appreciation created an incredibly rewarding day.
q: What's the greatest challenge?
a: Staying current with what's hot. The digital landscape is ever-changing.
q: Do you stay in touch with any other UCF hospitality alums?
a: My girlfriend Kelly Garrett '07, who I met in Dr. Iskat's class, and also my boss Anne Fischer '04, Omaira Dostie '06, Kate Hovey Witherspoon '05 and Angela Krull '05.
q: Outside work...you're most likely to be seen?
a: Hanging out with my girlfriend, surfing at the beach or playing music. The best weekends are when I do absolutely nothing.
q: Your biggest accomplishment since graduating, outside your career?
a: Going back to school. I only have one semester left to finish my master's degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management at Rosen College. Also I'm proud of working at the same company for so long. I started working at Sea World in 2005.
q: How did UCF prepare you for what you do?
a: It gave me the interpersonal and life skills needed to form relationships, and a service-minded personality.
q: How could the hospitality program have been better?
a: It should have fewer group projects. If I took 4-5 classes at a time, it meant 4-5 group projects going on similtaneously.
q: A UCF memory?
a: Football games. In particular, storming the field at the Citrus Bowl when we finally won after a 0-17 game losing streak.
q: Favorite meal in Orlando?
a: Whatever I am cooking for dinner of course. If I'm not cooking, I like Seasons 52 or the pulled pork at Wildside BBQ.
q: On your iPod?
a: Mostly the Dave Matthews Band and the Allman Brothers, with a little John Mayer.
q: Little known fact about you?
a: I'm adopted. Also I'm color blind. The two have nothing to do with each other.