Blair Kisker, alum of the One Year MBA program at the University of Kentucky's Gatton College of Business and Economics, is the Controller at FC Cincinnati, the newest expansion team in Major League Soccer (MLS). After the popularity of the recent World Cup, soccer has become one of the fastest growing sports in the US with the average MLS game attendance being over 22,000 people. Thousands and thousands of FC Cincinnati fans root passionately for their soccer team at Nippert Stadium currently while their new $250 million West End Stadium is being built, which is expected to open in 2021. When completed, the new stadium will be one of the largest soccer-specific stadiums in MLS with a capacity between 25,500 and 26,500 people.

"The opportunity for me to build a professional sports team and in my hometown of Cincinnati is really cool," says Blair. "I have always been passionate about sports and business, so this is a perfect marriage for me with FC Cincinnati. From a position and organizational aspect, we are essentially a start-up so there's lots of learning and long nights. Since I arrived back in October of 2018, we have grown by 300%. We are growing rapidly, and our fan base is absolutely phenomenal." 

Blair graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with his Bachelor's degree in Accounting and Economics Management and then immediately enrolled in the One Year MBA program at the University of Kentucky's Gatton College of Business. Gatton's One Year MBA is a full-time program designed for young professionals, recent graduates and for all majors.

"I wanted to be more well-rounded entering my career, so the UK MBA made perfect sense for me. As Controller, my job touches all aspects of the business and not just on the financial side. Because of my MBA, I feel that I can react and respond quicker, and was confident when applying for this opportunity even without a CPA."

While enrolled in the One Year MBA program at Gatton, Blair also took advantage of the built-in internship experience called Project Connect. In Project Connect, UK MBA student teams get to apply what they are learning in class to real-world corporate projects of importance. Blair's group was paired with the Lexington Downtown Development Authority which provides a single point of contact, oversight and accountability to revitalize downtown Lexington, KY. The focus of the projects for Blair's team centered around new product development, supply chain and finance.

Blair says, "Project Connect was an awesome opportunity to work in a diverse team of MBA talent and work on real-world projects. When I look back on what I cherished most about my experience in the UK MBA, Project Connect was definitely a highlight for me. After graduating from the program, I remember employers asking me several times about my experiences with Project Connect. I'm confident that Project Connect really helped me stand out on my resume and when interviewing."

As far as advice for candidates that are considering an MBA, Blair adds, "Many job descriptions for managerial and leadership positions are now strongly preferring a higher degree like an MBA. If you are ready and are committed, then I would recommend doing it as soon as possible. Without my MBA, I'm confident that I wouldn't be where I am today."

On the world stage, Cincinnati is one of the final 23 host city candidates for the 2026 World Cup Committee’s bid. FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) is expected to announce which cities will host games in 2020. Watch the West End Stadium being built in real-time and purchase your tickets to the next FC Cincinnati game.