Kiley Long- Story II

Kiley Long

JTC 320

The Man in the Shadows and Behind the Legends

            At every Colorado State University athletic event there is one person who is present every time. He has years of knowledge behind his eyes and countless memories working in his mind.

            He has loved the world of sports entertainment since eighth grade and boasts an impressive resume that includes standing side by side with sports moguls such as Brett Favre and John Elway.

            Many would say that Zak Gilbert, the Director of the CSU Media Relations Department, has lived a career that embodies much glamour and excitement. While he has never had a shortage of excitement in his work, the glamorous aspect may just be a fallacy.

            Growing up in Fort Collins, Gilbert knew from an early age what he wanted to do for a career someday and he never lost sight of it.

            “I knew I wanted to work in this field all the way back in eighth grade when I interviewed Jeff Kingery, the voice of the Nuggets.”

            Before Gilbert graduated college at the University of Colorado, in Boulder, he was working at the school’s athletic media relations department and went straight into a demanding internship with the Denver Broncos after graduation.

            The internship landed him a permanent job with the Broncos organization and soon he left and began working for other prominent teams like the Colorado Rockies and Green Bay Packers.

            Working with these organizations gave Gilbert some bragging rights when it came to the people he went to work with everyday. He served as Brett Favre’s chief publicist in Green Bay, as well as working with Larry Walker and Heisman Trophy winner, Rashan Salaam, at CU.

            Gilbert was even privileged enough to be asked to work the XL Super Bowl in Detroit. When asked about his most lasting memory from his career, he calls on this experience as the answer.

            “I can remember running around on the field. Confetti was falling everywhere around me and I was running after Ben Roethlisberger trying to get some quick quotes from him. In the end I had to just make up the quotes from Ben because I could not get to him in the chaos, it was insane.”

            Gilbert eventually made his way back to Fort Collins in 2007 when he accepted the position as the Director of Media Relations for CSU, despite being No.2 in the public relations department for the Packers.

            He notes, “I grew up in this city. I wanted the opportunity to run my own office in my hometown.”

            Senior Associate Athletic Director, Gary Ozzello, was Zak’s predecessor in the media relations department and was the one who originally offered the position to him back in 2007.

            Ozzello reflects on Gilbert saying, “Zak is one of the hardest working individuals I have ever been around. What makes him so efficient at what he does is his knowledge, dedication, and his experience. I know that he makes our team better.”

            Indeed it seems that CSU athletics was given a gift by bringing on someone who held such valuable experience with professional organizations.

            However, even a seasoned pro like Gilbert has still had to learn new tricks to an ever changing and competitive industry that does not always offer second chances. The world of sports entertainment is a constantly changing atmosphere that someone such as Gilbert, knows all too well.

            “The Internet and social media have changed the entire journalism industry. That has been the biggest thing that has changed from when I was a senior in college”, notes Gilbert.

            In an industry that many would describe as harsh and cutthroat at times, Gilbert has found tremendous success and fulfillment over his many years of experience. When asked what the greatest piece of advice he has ever received was in the duration of his career, you would expect to hear a long bout of reflection.

            However, in true Zak Gilbert fashion, he simply responds with a very thoughtful and simple piece of advice.

            “Don’t get too high or too low….about anything.”

Break Out Quote: “Zak is one of the hardest working individuals I have ever been around. What makes him so efficient at what he does is his knowledge, dedication, and his experience.”