NASCAR announces four staff changes among business leadership

NASCAR announced the appointments of four positions in its “business executive team” Wednesday.

It named Steve Phelps – the sport’s “top officer” in its Charlotte, North Carolina, office – as the new executive vice president and chief global sales and marketing officer. Phelps will oversee global marketing, partnership and series marketing, business development, integrated marketing communications, licensing & consumer products, and NASCAR digital media.

A press release says Phelps will “lead a strategic global marketing effort” in order to “transition International admirers of the sport into more engaged, passionate fans.”

The remaining staff changes:

Jill Gregory, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer – Will oversee brand and consumer marketing, brand platforms, entertainment marketing, driver marketing, team marketing, social media and analytics and insights.

Gregory joined NASCAR in July 2007 after working in executive roles at Bank of America and Sprint. She was among the inaugural group of executives honored as “Game Changers” in 2011 by Sports Business Journal, recognizing the top female executives in the sports world.

Norris Scott, Vice President of Analytics and Insights (new position) – Will oversee  consumer research functions at NASCAR including social analytics (NASCAR Fan & Media Engagement Center), digital research, sponsorship valuation, and media and market research.

Lou Garate, vice president of partnership marketing –  Has been with NASCAR for almost 10 years, working closely with official partners such as Chevrolet, Ford, Goodyear, MillerCoors and Toyota. Has developed partner assets including the Coors Light Pole Award, Coors Light Silver Bullet Bash, NASCAR Evening Series and Victory Lap fueled by Sunoco.

“We’ve been bold in our efforts to modernize and diversify our business and executive team, and these changes further reflect that fact,” said NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France in a press release. “Today’s announcement underlines the importance that NASCAR puts on specific areas of our business, and has been done in sync with structure and personnel changes made last month in the racing area.

“I’m delighted to see the growth of a number of our colleagues throughout NASCAR. All changes announced today will pay significant and immediate dividends for the sport.”