NEW HAVEN, Conn., April 27, 2016 – Connecticut Open announced that United States Tennis Association (USTA) veteran Tim Curry has joined its marketing department. Curry brings more than 20 years of experience in communications as a journalist and public relations practitioner and an extensive background in grassroots tennis to his new role as ticket sales and partnership marketing manager.
Curry joins the Connecticut Open following two years specializing in public relations for consumer brands, sponsorship and celebrity engagement as managing partner at Klein Curry Communications, a company he co-founded. Prior to that, Curry spent 17 years at the USTA, serving as director of corporate communications in the final six years. During this time, he worked 18 US Open tournaments, as well as two Olympics games where he served as the official press officer. Curry served as co-chair of the USTA social media task force and also produced the US Open Draw Ceremony. This position afforded Curry the opportunity to work alongside a number of major sponsors such as Polo, Chase and IBM.
Curry has also been a leader in Connecticut grassroots tennis initiatives since moving to the state more than 15 years ago. In 2001, Curry founded the Greater Stamford Tennis Association with a grant from the U.S. Davis Cup team on behalf of Andy Roddick to develop free and low-cost introductory tennis programming and educational opportunities for at-risk youth. He spearheaded the $400,000 renovation of the Scalzi Park tennis courts in Stamford when the city hosted the 2005 National Public Parks Tennis Championships. Curry subsequently created the Connecticut Public Parks Tennis Championships, which has raised thousands of dollars for the Thomas Blake, Sr. Memorial Research Fund at Memorial Sloan-Kettering. This experience will benefit the charitable initiatives of the Connecticut Open which is also a 501 (c)(3) organization.
“We are confident that Tim’s experience and diverse array of contacts within the tennis industry will have an immediate impact on sales and partnerships for our tournament,” said Anne Worcester, tournament director, Connecticut Open presented by United Technologies. “We are excited for the new opportunities we will forge as we move towards the 2016 tournament and beyond.”
Throughout his career, Curry has developed a variety of unique endeavors that have generated significant brand awareness for his programs. Some examples include setting the Guinness World Record for “Largest Tennis Lesson” as part of World Tennis Day, launching a barge with a tennis court down the Hudson River that John McEnroe and Billie Jean King played on to promote National Tennis Month and partnering tennis Hall of Famer Chris Evert with ESPN’s Mike Greenberg to compete in the inaugural US Open National Playoffs mixed doubles competition.Curry has cultivated a long list of partnerships with athletes and celebrities that will be utilized for promotion of the tournament.
Curry’s work has received multiple awards as recognition for the impact he has made on the industry. In 2014, he was the recipient of three platinum Hermes awards which are administered by the Association of Marketing and Communications Professionals (AMCP). He also received two platinum and two gold MarCom awards from the AMCP in 2013.
Curry began his communications career as a sports writer. He worked in this field for seven years penning articles for The National Sports Daily, The Knoxville, Tenn. News-Sentinel, and Sparta Expositor (Tenn.). His management career began as media director for the Intercollegiate Tennis Association and the Philadelphia Rage of the American Basketball League.
Curry is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, where he managed the women’s tennis team and worked in sports information for the women’s athletics department. He currently resides in Stamford, Connecticut with his wife Bridget. When he is not at work, he remains busy as a dad to two young daughters, Caroline and Katherine.