Path to Success for Alumnus Began at St. John’s

John Shea ’93SVC said, “When you grow up in New York and you’re a basketball fan, St. John’s is automatically on your radar. I had friends that went there and my eyes were opened to the opportunities.”

Mr. Shea has enjoyed a long and successful 30-year career at Octagon, a preeminent global sports and entertainment agency, where he has risen to his current role as Chief Executive Officer. He credits St. John’s with providing him with the necessary tools for success. 

Mr. Shea was drawn to the University’s local and national reputation, and, as a product of Catholic education his entire academic career, its Catholic and Vincentian identity intensely resonated with him. The opportunity to combine his academic interests with his passion for soccer made St. John’s an ideal fit.

“St. John’s provided a consistent thread across my family values growing up—and it still is today. It’s a unique experience,” he explained, noting that his son Kieran is a first-year student who plays for the St. John’s Baseball team, continuing the family’s legacy here.

“As my son Kieran was approaching that time to look for college, he knew he wanted to go to a great academic school and play baseball. As a parent, you want your kid to be excited about opportunities, and St. John’s was great for him.”

Mr. Shea was a walk-on for the Men’s Soccer team and played for legendary Head Coach and Associate Athletics Director David Masur ’03Ed.D., whom he still counts as a mentor and friend. “He had a great impact on my experience, and we’ve stayed connected all these years,” said Mr. Shea. “I still go to soccer games to support the team.”

Thanks to Coach Masur, Mr. Shea obtained an internship with The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) during the 1994 World Cup, held in nine cities across the US. “It was an incredible experience,” Mr. Shea recalled.

Another mentor from the academic side, Mr. Shea recalled, was the late Thomas R. McCarthy, Professor Emeritus of Marketing. “He was an incredible teacher and great advocate for me at St. John’s. He really opened my eyes to the power of creativity.” 

Mr. Shea described his career path as “unique.” He started as an intern at Octagon in 1994 and spent his entire career there, which he noted is rare in the agency world. “Octagon has given me so many opportunities to learn new things and grow. It has challenged me to be the best version of myself.”

Octagon is one of the world’s leading integrated marketing, creative, and talent management agencies in sports and entertainment. With offices in 22 countries, the agency creates distinctive sponsorship partnerships and marketing campaigns for some of the largest brands and Fortune 500 companies across the globe, including BMW, Budweiser, Delta Air Lines, and Mastercard. Octagon also represents more than 900 of the most prominent and influential athletes, talent, and properties in the world, such as Simone Biles, Stephen Curry, and Michael Phelps. 

“I’m most proud of being a part of the same organization for 30 years and being in a position to help grow the organization,” he said. “Another part of work I enjoy is managing different people. Leading small and large teams has been a highlight of my career. You have a great appreciation for all the work that people do. I take a lot of pride and enjoyment working with teams.”

Mr. Shea stressed that his time at St. John’s helped prepare him for his 30-year odyssey at Octagon. “Being a college athlete and having structure, discipline, and time management has related greatly to career development. Learning to balance academics and athletics was so impactful transitioning from college to professional life.”

He added, “My mantra has always been you can never be too prepared, and I feel that’s a theme for St. John’s because it’s prepared me for so much in my professional career.”