Alan (Al) Kidd became the President of the San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum in June of 2003 following a career in advertising, marketing and education as well as owning and selling a number of businesses. In 2008, Al, along with the Boards of Directors of the Hall of Champions and San Diego International Sports Council, successfully integrated the two San Diego legacy sports organizations into the San Diego Sports Commission, focused on enhancing the quality of life for San Diegans through sports. “Our goal is to become the sports marketing and development organization for the San Diego region. The outcome should be new tourism revenue and job creation, all adding to the sports economic base in the market.
“This is a perfect place for me at this stage in my career,” Kidd said of his position with the Hall of Champions. While working with a dedicated Board of Directors, I can use my extensive business contacts, as well as marketing and business operating experience, to design valuable outreach programs for kids, support San Diego’s tourism economic engine and be a part of building a sustainable business model ensuring long-term viability for the Hall and Sports Commission. The diversity is challenging, however, I am enthusiastic about the support we receive from various levels of the San Diego political, civic, business, media, education and sports communities. The new teams’ collective desire is to continue advancing the vision established by founder Bob Breitbard.”
Al was born in Euclid, Ohio on June 28, 1953. He spent much of his early years growing up in a housing project with his two younger brothers. Al developed a close friendship with his coach and mentor, Paul Serra, who helped shape his passion for working with kids, a commitment Al holds to this day. Mr. Serra, an ex-professional baseball player who also grew up in the projects, returned to live in the projects and dedicated his life to helping kids grow and develop. It was through Mr. Serra’s guidance and discipline that Al earned a baseball scholarship to the University of Toledo.
Al completed his undergraduate studies, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, Physical Education with an emphasis in Pre Med from Bowling Green State University in 1975.
Al married his lifelong sweetheart, Nancy Laser, whom he met in seventh grade homeroom. Al and Nancy taught school in Utah and Ohio. Al changed careers and worked in advertising and marketing with Nationwide Advertising starting in Chicago in 1977.
He was recruited by Knoth & Meads (K&M) Advertising in 1979 to move his family to San Diego and assist in the development and growth of their local advertising company. Al helped build up the operating division inside K&M which attracted a buyer, Saatchi & Saatchi (S&S) Advertising, then the world’s largest communications company. Al became President of one of S&S’s North American operating units, MDK Recruitment Advertising. He led a management buyout of his operating unit and started Kidd, Schneider and Dersh (KSD). Al then sold KSD to TMP Worldwide in 1994. Al served as a volunteer coach with long-time friend, John Labeta at Serra High School – coaching both girls softball and boys basketball. During their 4 years of coaching together, their teams got to the city-wide CIF Finals twice each, and came away with CIF Championships in girls softball and boys basketball.
Shortly thereafter, he retired for a brief period of time before starting ARK Enterprises, a venture investing company and business consulting practice. ARK acquired a number of positions in emerging companies, which led to the purchase of a digital video sports technology. The company began to expand into the internet video business and develop sports coaching and training products that were both video and internet based. Al turned over the management and operations to his partners and new investors in 2002.
Al has been a founding member of a number of private foundations developed to benefit kids-The Serra High School Foundation, Paul Serra Sports Foundation and the San Diego City High Schools Athletic Foundation. He has served on the board of the YMCA, Great Friends Foundation, San Diego Sports Innovators, The Police Athletic League, Tierrasanta Little League, and the Parks and Recreation board for Tierrasanta. Al and his wife Nancy have two adult children, Brian, who works at Stanford University, and Sara, who is the marketing manager for a club volleyball program in Austin, Texas.
