Staff Directory
- Title:
- Associate AD/Marketing & Promotions
- Email:
- Phone:
- 303-492-5343
Ricky Zum Mallen is in his first year as the associate athletic director for marketing and promotions, as he joined the Colorado staff on August 24, 2022.
Zum Mallen, 32, came to Colorado from Eastern Michigan University, where he spent four years (2018-22) as the assistant athletic director for marketing for the Eagles. He directly handled the marketing responsibilities for EMU football, including those for three bowl games it participated in (Camellia, Quick Lane and LendingTree) and oversaw the efforts of the department as a whole. He led the marketing efforts that achieved three record-setting seasons in men’s basketball season ticket sales as well as increasing single game revenue in both football and basketball.
At EMU, his efforts were pivotal in the school being a two-time NACMA (National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators) “Best Of” Awards winner, both for the 2021-22 academic year. EMU earned the Gold Award in the fan giveaway category (tying in HEATH candy bars to new head coach Stan Heath’s first home game) and the Bronze Award for a season ticket campaign for men’s and women’s basketball season tickets.
Prior to his time at EMU, he spent a little over three years (April 2015-July 2018) at Temple University in a number of roles. In his final position there, he was the associate director of marketing where he oversaw the game presentation for all home men’s and women’s basketball games. The Owls noticed an increase of nine percent in average attendance for men’s games, while revenue grew 58 percent for women’s basketball in 2017-18 over the previous season.
Zum Mallen briefly assumed the title of interim assistant athletic director for four months (Nov. 2017-Feb. 2018) where he managed the day-to-day operations of the department and coordinated the gameday efforts. He had arrived at Temple in the spring of 2015 as the marketing coordinator working with volleyball and women’s basketball.
Before Temple, he spent a year at the University of Tulsa as a marketing assistant. At Tulsa, Zum Mallen was responsible for all marketing efforts for both the women’s basketball and the men’s soccer teams, including developing marketing plans. He also coordinated marketing efforts from field level during Golden Hurricane football games.
Zum Mallen was a graduate assistant for marketing and promotions for Southeast Missouri State University from July 2012 to May 2014. His responsibilities included leading the marketing and promotional efforts for the volleyball, soccer, baseball and women’s basketball teams. He also assisted with all social media efforts to promote Redhawk athletic events, coordinated and supervised student workers and oversaw writing and editing of public address game scripts for all Southeast Missouri sports.
While at SEMO, he earned his masters of Business Administration in May 2014, with an emphasis on Sport Management. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Loyola University (Chicago) in May 2012; at Loyola, he had a double major in Marketing and Sport Management. He was a marketing intern his senior year, coordinating marketing and promotional projects for all men’s and women’s soccer games. He also filmed and edited marketing videos to enhance the Ramblers’ brand.
He was born March 29, 1990 in Geneseo, Ill., and graduated from Geneseo High School where he lettered in golf. His hobbies include playing golf and traveling. He taught an undergraduate Sport Management class (titled Fan Engagement and Revenue Generation in College Athletics) at Eastern Michigan University in the spring 2022. He is married to the former Kaja Rasmussen, who is also in the marketing profession (higher education admissions).
