DGPT Hires Brand Manager & Graphic Designer
The Disc Golf Pro Tour is excited to announce that Dustin Juliano will be joining us as our Brand Manager and Graphic Designer for the 2020 season. Dustin played a huge part in designing our 2020 rebrand and will oversee all of our graphic design going forward. He’ll also collaborate with our new Marketing and Retail Manager, Aaron Wilmot, on some of the Disc Golf Pro Tour visual assets and apparel. Dustin will also be working with our Media Manager, Mahmoud Bahrani, to keep our social content eye-catching and entertaining. “I’m so excited to be working with Dustin,” said Bahrani. “He’s got an eye for elegant, sleek designs, and I think it’ll really help push disc golf and the Pro Tour to the next level.”
After spending his first year of undergrad at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh majoring in Graphic Design, Dustin transferred to and graduated from Gordon College with a Bachelor of Arts in music and a minor in art. After graduating, Dustin started working for a local painting contractor north of Boston, but still found time to nurture his passion for graphic design as a freelancer. After catching the disc golf bug in 2014 with his friend Mike Lane, he noticed a very unique way to connect his graphic design skills with his new obsession in disc golf. In 2015, Dustin got connected with Steve Dodge by sending him tee sign mock-ups for Maple Hill, and the rest was history. Dustin standardized and created new art for all the tees on tour, and his efforts from the 2016 season until now have helped the fan experience through his promotional materials, spectator guides, and programs.
“I’m really excited to continue working with the DGPT for 2020 and beyond, and to expand my role and collaborate with this amazing staff we’ve assembled. Since the first season in 2016, we’ve been building momentum, and with the new ownership, we’re poised now more than ever to launch forward and take the sport to the next level. With an official position on staff, I can now focus more time and energy on creating visual assets that will help the Pro Tour connect with the spectators in a meaningful way.”
Dustin lives in Ipswich, Massachusetts, with his wife Erica and two-year-old daughter Avery.
DGPT Hires Marketing & Retail Manager
The DGPT is pleased to announce the hiring of Aaron Wilmot as Marketing & Retail Manager for the Disc Golf Pro Tour. Aaron has an extensive business background as an entrepreneur, particularly in retail development through his business Thought Space Athletics. The Tour is excited to have Aaron on board, leading not only retail management and development but also coordinating the DGPT marketing team.
Aaron’s focus on disc golf started in 2011 as his involvement with the sport was stimulated through competition and participation in the Maine disc golf scene. That interest quickly grew into a love for disc golf and the community that surrounds it and, as an entrepreneur, Aaron put his business chops to work founding Thought Space Athletics, his retail brand that now works on projects across the country. Thought Space has carved out a loyal niche in the disc golf world through creative art, forward-thinking graphic design and strong partnerships and is one of the multiple businesses that Aaron has found success with. While the brand will continue, Aaron’s focus will shift to the Disc Golf Pro Tour and marketing a larger brand to a wider audience. A central goal of the marketing team will be to promote events to a wider regional audience and bring new eyes and players into the sport.
It’s a thrill to add Aaron’s incredible work ethic, excellent communication skills, and creative passion on board to drive the development of the DGPT brand to new heights. Tour Director Jeff Spring notes that “Aaron has done great work with Thought Space and truly embraced, not only the spirit of the sport and community but the collaboration and knack for creative partnerships that will help our business grow. He’s clearly one of the hardest working professionals in the industry and we look forward to Aaron bringing that energy to the DGPT Team and a bigger platform.”
Aaron’s efforts have also resulted in partnerships with some of the sport’s biggest companies and players, most recently working with Innova on USDGC retail projects as well as some of the sports top players, like Garrett Gurthie, on collaborations. Aaron is thrilled to join the DGPT team and believes that there are big things in store for the brand as one of the sports biggest platforms sharing “I have learned first hand how having a like minded team can make a common goal that once seemed out of reach, achievable.” With Aaron on board, the DGPT looks forward to achieving a litany of lofty goals in 2020 and beyond.
You can reach Aaron via email at aaron@dgpt.com and be on the lookout for fresh new DGPT gear throughout the 2020 season!
DGPT Hires New Media Manager
Mahmoud has a love and passion for disc golf that motivated him to dedicate 2019 to traveling across the country shooting, producing, and doing commentary for large disc golf events. During his work as a freelance media professional, he gained experience working with Central Coast, JomezPro, The Disc Golf Guy (Terry Miller), as well as the Disc Golf Pro Tour and Smashboxx at the MVP Open and the Green Mountain Championship. In addition to video production, Mo has contributed to UDisc and Ultiworld as a writer, developing his podcast “The Inside Line” for the latter of the two disc golf stalwarts. Moe is excited for his new role, sharing that “this is a really exciting time for disc golf, and I want to be right in the middle of that excitement helping the Pro Tour and disc golf grow through media.”
Mahmoud has worked as a professional in the media industry since shortly after graduating from the University of Chicago with honors in 2012, where he served as the sports editor for “The Maroon”, the independent voice of the University of Chicago. After graduating, he signed on with ESPN, where he worked for over five years. During his time at the “Worldwide Leader in Sports”, Mahmoud worked across several shows and sports including College Football Saturday, the WNBA playoffs, and ESPN’s flagship show Sportscenter. His most notable and voluminous work came on the Emmy-nominated NBA show “The Jump” hosted by Rachel Nichols where he served as a line producer, wrote copy, built graphics, edited video and created segments.
Mahmoud will lead the continued development of the DGPT’s live broadcast as the Tour looks to improve and expand the production in collaboration with Smashboxx. The DGPT is also nearing an announcement regarding a new media platform for 2020 in the coming weeks which will feature new content including episodic shows focused on touring professionals, event previews and analysis, along with human interest stories and interviews. Mahmoud will develop associated content and oversee other media areas such as podcasts, articles, and social media. Mahmoud can be contacted for media related inquiries via email at mahmoud@dgpt.com.
DGPT Hires On-the-Road Support Staff
The Disc Golf Pro Tour is excited to announce the hire of Sam Gaddes & Evan Shper as Media & Operations Coordinators for the DGPT. These road warriors will be traveling the country and ensuring that Disc Golf Pro Tour events are run smoothly.
Sam Gaddes
Sam’s experience as a cameraman reaches the highest levels of professional sports. He spent the past six years at NBC Sports Boston, where he covered a variety of Boston sports; everything from the Super Bowl with the New England Patriots, to the Stanley Cup Finals with the Boston Bruins. He started playing disc golf in 2013, and four years later co-founded his own post-production media company, specializing in shot-by-shot coverage for some of the biggest tournaments in New England.
“I am really excited to be joining the Pro Tour. Combining my experience working in television for the past nine years with my love of disc golf is a dream come true,” said Sam.
“Sam is one of the best catch cam operators I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with,” said Media Manager Mahmoud Bahrani. “He’s incredibly talented, a hard worker, and he’s a big part of the reason why I’m really excited about the Pro Tour media offerings this year.”
Evan Shper
Evan Shper joins the Pro Tour after working closely with Tour Director Jeff Spring at Brewster Ridge and Fox Run Meadows at Smugglers’ Notch Resort from 2017-2018. He worked as a course supervisor at the Smuggs Disc Golf Center and has extensive experience with course set up and design at high level events. Before working at Smuggs, Evan has worked in the music industry, and brings touring & equipment management experience to the Disc Golf Pro Tour.
Evan will lead the DGPT operations crew and work with the local organizing committees to prepare the course layouts for competition, including the dressing of the courses and placement of course assets. “Evan has a passion for the sport that is palpable. Add in his touring experience and work preparing courses for, and being involved with, some of the highest level events in the sport, and he will be a great asset to our team.” said Pro Tour CEO Jeff Spring. Evan will also oversee management of the touring vehicles, merchandise and equipment, as well as work with the media team.
“2020 is shaping up to be an amazing year for Disc Golf, and I’m so happy to be joining the DGPT team to help elevate our sport to the next level!”
“We’re about to hit the road and I couldn’t be more excited for the season to start, so look out for Sam and me at all of your favorite stops on the Pro Tour and come say hi!”
