Northeastern Professor Assists United States Olympic Committee

TAHLEQUAH Northeastern State University Assistant Professor of Marketing Dr. David Pan (a naturalized U.S. citizen) has adopted Oklahoma as his homeland but will have more opportunities to visit his native land of China in the next several years as he helps Team-USA athletes to compete at the Beijing 2008 Olympics. In March 2004, Pan started learning from his Greek counterpart (working for USOC) to prepare American athletes in the Athens Olympic Games this year.

An active member of the Olympic movement, Pan has been involved in many international sporting events in numerous ways including service as a coaching member of the Team China Olympic Women's Basketball Team and Olympic planning committee member. Before joining NSU, Pan served on the faculty of sport management/marketing at two other comprehensive universities. NSU has provided an ideal platform for Pan who continues to bring a wealth of sport business experience to its marketing program.

The Northeastern community will benefit from Pan's involvement with the 2008 Olympics. Colleagues and students will learn how sports can provide an ideal platform and international market for American products. Pan also proposes field trips (for faculty) and a seminar class to learn how American companies are functioning in that part of the market and to help prepare students to meet the challenges for Oklahoma businesses in the international business front.

According to Pan, New York City has been selected as a competition candidate for the 2012 Olympics. If the NYC bid is successful, the 2012 Olympics can bring an estimated $12 billion economic impact to the regional economy and help American product brand maintain and regain its unquestioned leadership in the world.