Matt Higgins (businessman)

Matt Higgins is an American businessman and the co-founder and CEO of RSE Ventures,[1] a private investment firm that focuses on sports and entertainment, media and marketing, food and lifestyle, and technology. In 2012, Higgins co-founded RSE[2] with Stephen M. Ross, the founder of Related Companies and owner of the Miami Dolphins. Higgins also serves as an executive for the Dolphins, and had been a high-level executive with the New York Jets.

Career

Higgins is the CEO and co-founder of RSE Ventures, a company that has invested in various companies and technologies, including: FanVision, the handheld device that is the official in-venue content provider of NASCAR,[3] Thuzio, the project of former NFL running back Tiki Barber and Mark Gerson of Gerson Lehrman Group[4], and the Drone Racing League,[5] the world's first professional drone racing circuit. In 2016, he negotiated a deal to have RSE Ventures become a minority stakeholder in Momofuku.[6] In 2017, he also negotiated RSE Ventures' funding of Milk Bar, launched in 2008 as part of Momofuku, and D.C.-based fast-casual pizza chain &pizza's national expansion. In 2018, RSE acquired cybersecurity company SkOUT Secure Intelligence.[7]

Along with these investments, Higgins and RSE have launched several companies, such as the International Champions Cup in 2013 - the annual summer soccer tournament that brings together the best soccer clubs in the world, public relations firm Derris and Insignia in 2012 (now Ascendent Sports Group).[8] RSE Ventures also partnered with Gary Vaynerchuk in 2014 to form VaynerRSE, a $25 million seed fund and incubator.[9]

Higgins is also the vice chairman of the Miami Dolphins,[10] serving as an advisor to owner Stephen Ross on business and personnel decisions. Higgins helped hire Mike Tannenbaum, the Dolphins' executive vice president of football operations. Prior to the Dolphins, Higgins worked for the New York Jets from 2004 to 2012, serving as the executive vice president of business operations and close advisor to Jets owner Woody Johnson.[11] Higgins was instrumental in helping the team build MetLife Stadium with the New York Giants, building a new training facility in Florham Park, and using Twitter, Facebook and a revamped website for fans to have better access to the team.

Before his career with the Jets, Higgins was COO of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, the firm tasked with rebuilding the site of the World Trade Center.[12] He also served as press secretary under Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, managing the global media response to the September 11 attacks in 2001 for New York City.[13]

Recognition

In 2007, Higgins was recognized by Crain’s New York as one of the top 40 executives under 40 in New York.[14] Four years later, Sports Business Journal selected him in their "40 under 40" list as one of the most outstanding executives in sports.[15] In 2015, Forbes listed RSE Ventures as one of the 10 best organizations to work for in sports.[16] In February 2017, RSE Ventures portfolio companies Resy and Drone Racing League were named to Fast Company's World's Most Innovative Companies 2017 list,[17] and in 2018, portfolio company &pizza was named to the list.[18]

Early Life

Higgins grew up in the Bayside neighborhood of Queens.[19] After growing up in abject poverty and taking care of his ailing mother, Higgins decided to drop out of high school at age 16, obtain his equivalency diploma and enroll at Queens College,[20] where he took night classes and graduated with a political science degree.[21] He started his career as an award-winning investigative reporter at the Queens Tribune and attended Fordham Law School at night, while working for Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani as the youngest press secretary in New York City history.[21]

Personal life

Higgins is a board member of Autism Speaks and an avid runner.[22] In 2011, he ran the ING marathon to help raise money for autism.[23] Higgins received a bachelor's degree from Queens College and a juris doctor from Fordham Law.

In 2016, he urged fellow Republicans to cast their vote for Hillary Clinton – arguing that the ″preservation of the republic″ is more important than ″taxation and anything else″.[24]

References

  1. ↑ "Ex-Jets Executive Joins Miami Owner's Venture". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Sports Technology Writes New Playbook for Investors". Bloomberg Business'. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  3. ↑ "FanVision, PrePlay Inc. merge to digitize the real-life sports experience". New York Business Journal. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Tiki Barber's Thuzio raises $1.5 million to pimp out pro athletes". Pando Daily. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  5. ↑ "The owner of the Miami Dolphins just made drone racing a million-dollar sport". Quartz'. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Momofuku restaurant empire gets new investor". New York Post. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Stephen Ross makes $30m bet on cyber security". Financial Times'. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
  8. ↑ "How RSE Ventures Is Revolutionizing Business As We Know It". Forbes. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Here's what Gary Vaynerchuck is really up to with that new $25M fund (exclusive)". VentureBeat. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Young and influential: Miami Dolphins fans know little of Matt Higgins, key adviser to owner Stephen Ross". Palm Beach Post. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Jets executive vice president Matt Higgins steps down after eight years with team". NJ.com. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Blocks; World Trade Center Endures. Read the Signs". The New York Times. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  13. ↑ "New York Jets VP was Giuliani press secretary during 9/11". Sporting News. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Matthew Higgins - 2008 - 40 Under Forty". Crains New York Business. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Fory under 40". Sports Business Journal. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  16. ↑ "The Best Organizations To Work For In Sports". Forbes. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
  17. ↑ https://www.fastcompany.com/most-innovative-companies/2017
  18. ↑ "THE WORLD'S MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES 2018 HONOREES BY SECTOR". Fast Company”. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  19. ↑ http://www.qc.cuny.edu/qc_profile/alumni/pages/default.aspx?FullName=Matt%20Higgins
  20. ↑ http://www.justinmhiggins.com/new-blog/2016/5/3/the-life-advice-guide-insta-interview-number-five-with-matt-higgins
  21. 1 2 "El Clasico was just the start. Steve Ross' right-hand man has big plans for Miami". Miami Herald. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  22. ↑ "Dealing With Cancer, Jets Executive Slows Down by Running". The New York Times. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  23. ↑ "Daughter gives Jets exec reason to run". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  24. ↑ "Clinton expands outreach to male Republican voters in wake of Trump issues", USA Today, October 14, 2016
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