Ric Phillips:  

Where do you begin after nearly 45 years!! Left AAHS and went to Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and double majored in Econ & Communications. Went to NU on a full swimming scholarship , but my Olympic year went bust as I contracted bursitis in both shoulders and had to sit out watching it on TV. Decided that there was more to life than getting up at 5am to swim 5 miles, so the swimming career went downhill from there. Did the MBA "thing" at NU's Kellogg School of Management and went into the real world with P&G in Cincinnati on the brand management team for "personal products" on the Crest toothpaste account. Hated it, but became interested in the TV biz, especially on the sales side. Could use my econ/stats education to put together media proposals to sell to advertisers. Girl I dated at NU was a news anchor in Louisville and I got a local TV sales job there and turned the "phonebook" into the second biggest billing list at the station in little over a year and was hired away by a station in Cincinnati (had to go back...love Skyline Chili!). Stayed there about a year before I left for my first job with ABC-TV, still in sales. Went to San Francisco and spent two of the happiest years of my career and personal life there. Think about it; a single, straight male in a city that size making a very nice six-figure salary. Heaven. But was I smart and stayed? Was I satisfied with my status and career path? NO! And now, 30+ years later, I see the follies of my ways! Ambition will kill logic every time! So being the head-strong and egotistical person I was/am? (Thinking I was on a fast track to become president of ABC-TV), I took a larger job in network sales in Los Angeles. LA was great to live in (I was a very "bad boy" in those days! Very bad! Don't know why I am still alive today "bad"), but the job was a "killer". Many long nights working late and dealing with advertising agencies that couldn't find their butt with both hands. Most frustrating. So what did I do? Went to New York City and did the same thing (but switched to selling ABC Sports only. Got to go to the Olympics, Kentucky Derby, Super Bowls and all the major sporting events ABC covered, all expenses paid. Great "perks", but killer job). Love NYC and probably slept a total of 8 hours the two years I was there. Still love going back to get my fix of the Big Apple several times a year. Decided to go back to a local station and so took a management position in New Orleans. Great city, but not great memories as it's where I met & married my now ex-wife. She is a TV writer/producer (and ex-Ford model. Was the Ivory Soap Girl after Marylyn Chambers got the boot when she did Behind The Green Door) in ...Expand for more