2 minute read
A Winning Combination
BY JESSICA VERNIER (‘20)
WHEN BRENNAN DICHIARA (’13) began his freshman year at Southern Nazarene University (SNU) he was eager to find a way to pursue his passions for mathematics and sports in his future. As a student he was able to explore both - as a math major as well as a football player for SNU - but the biggest hurdle was going to be finding a way to continue both of these pursuits after graduation.
DiChiara at HighMark Stadium, the home of NFL Buffalo Bills
Soon after his freshman year, he was shown that he could use his passion for math to pursue a career in the actuarial field, measuring risk benefits in insurance, and possibly expanding his career beyond insurance. Looking back, Brennan reflects that he owes a great deal for much of his success to Dr. Nicholas Zoller, who supported Brennan and guided him to his first job as an actuary immediately following graduation.
“In addition to being my academic advisor, Dr. Zoller helped me study for actuarial exams, find internships, and incorporate my love for sports in many of my math research projects, including predictive modeling for March Madness games and NFL win/loss records,” Brennan recalls. It was this mentorship that ultimately prepared Brennan for his current position.
Through his studies under Dr. Zoller, Brennan realized that he could use his skills in mathematics to support and empower diverse groups of people and companies outside of the insurance world. In 2016, he decided that his desire to work in a field that included both sports and mathematics outweighed his interest in being an actuary. When he transitioned into his role as the Manager of Business Analytics for the Texas Rangers, his eyes were opened to the possibilities that Dr. Zoller had prepared him for.
His recent move to New York as the Director of Strategy & Analytics for Pegula Sports and Entertainment - which includes the Buffalo Bills of the NFL and the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL, along with other, smaller, sports teams - is when he was truly able to combine all his passions: sports, math, and people. Using the skills that Dr. Zoller helped him develop and expand in college, Brennan optimizes revenue across the company in ticketing, marketing, and with larger corporate partnerships, among other responsibilities.
“My job requires me to interact with every department within our front office and determine how I can use data to help achieve their goals. I really enjoy collaborating with my teammates and utilizing everyone’s strengths to achieve a common goal,” Brennan said.
Not only was Brennan blessed with Dr. Zoller’s commitment to his own success, he has been able to pay that blessing forward by supporting people company-wide at Pegula Sports. His desire to share his skills and use them to help other people succeed drives Brennan to find new and innovative ways to work within the ever-changing field of sports analytics and marketing.
Game shows have intrigued Brennan for as long as he can remember, and since graduating, he has worked hard to find his way onto a game show. That dream came true in July of 2021 when he appeared on The $100,000 Pyramid as a game show contestant. “I love to compete and put my wits to the test, so game shows are a perfect fit.” The next time Brennan is eligible to appear on another game show will be a year from now, and he plans to apply as soon as that day arrives.
