Name: Al Maag
Age: 65
Title: Big Kahuna Maagcommplus, executive director of Business Marketing Association and CMO Vet Tix. (for someone retired I have as many titles as English royalty).
Married/Single: Married for 40 years
Kids: 1 son
City you live in: Scottsdale
A typical day in my life includes…
”who can I help today” my biz is centered on helping charities or friends, and connecting people.
I was born…
into a “leave it to Beaver family”…great parents and brother…who taught me the basics, allowed me the rope to grow and have fun. Yes of course I got into mischief and played sports with my neighborhood gang in Chicago.
My favorite thing about Arizona…
it’s the Mecca for sports and entertainment…(think about it: all 4 pro sports teams, spring training, Super Bowl, Pro Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, PIR, all-star games, WM Open, ASU, and events like polo and Barrett Jackson.
I’m listening to…
50’s-60’s rock and roll and Frank Sinatra.
My family…
supports me in everything I do and they make me laugh.
If I could have dinner with anyone, it would be…
Mel Brooks.
One thing I cannot live without…
no doubt my wife and son, but losing my photos, films and video memories would be devastating.
When I was younger, I wanted to be…
Walt Disney.
I’m inspired by…
people that are fearless and do a task never done before…innovation is magic.
The one person who motivates me is…
the person who says “you can’t do that”, if I’m passionate it’s the right thing to do I take great pride in the challenge and will do it. Perfect example I’m the co-founder of the Chicago 16 –Inch Softball Hall of Fame…took almost 2 decades but our museum opened in July 2014.
If I could change anything in the world, it would be…
to see humanity and charity be everyone’s priority.
The perfect day would be…
watch special needs kids play baseball at the Miracle League in the am, play 16 inch softball with my friends, lunch at Portillos, go to Cub game at Wrigley Field, garner toys for our toy foundation and dinner at Don & Charlie’s with my family.
My first job was…
a warehouse guy at a vending machine company…my first paying effort was 25 cents selling a crayon drawing I did of the battle of the Alamo at 11 years old to a friend.
My favorite escape…
daily is TV, but as often as possible go to concerts and sporting events.
My life…
started with a blank canvas…painted a wonderful journey of a great career, traveled the world, lived in Chicago and Scottsdale (it does not get better than that) and so many wonderful friends and memories…that outweighed most difficulties. Had fun and hopefully made a difference. The Best part is the painting is not finished…let’s see what we add.
I’m currently working on…
the branding and marketing of VetTix…a group that garners tickets for all events and gives them to military families.
Always…
remember where you came from but be planning months ahead to get the most out of life.
Never…
burn bridges and “out people”…and I never root for the White Sox or Packers.
Favorite Quote…
“It’s not about money…until it’s about money” – my wife Michaelle
Biggest Dream…
be at Wrigley Field to see Cubs win the world series!
My Pet Peeve(s)…
people looking at their phones in a meeting or meals.
Al Maag recently released his book Social Media Isn’t Social. With humor and insight born of decades of experience, Maag shares what he learned during his Chicago childhood in the 1950s and 60s, a stark contrast to the current C-generation that has grown up with electronic gadgets. Social Media Isn’t Social shows why online social media cannot replace face-to-face human connection, and reveals the critical real-life social skills you need to succeed today in business and in life. The book is now available on Amazon and is a great read for 2015 business planning.
