New Mexico State University will welcome a seasoned sports marketing executive as its first executive in residence, bringing industry experience to bolster student development and community engagement.

Tatiana Favela, New Mexico State University

LAS CRUCES - New Mexico State University’s College of Business will welcome its first Executive-in-Residence in spring 2026, bringing marketing veteran and former Aggie student-athlete John Cordova in for the Spring semester to share his wealth of experience with NMSU students. 

Cordova — former Group Director of Sports Management at The Coca-Cola Company — will teach MKTG 354: Sports Marketing, an in-person course that will give students a behind-the-scenes look at how marketing strategy powers fan engagement, sponsorships and global brand partnerships across major sports properties, including the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup. He will also co-teach a section of BUSA 1110: Introduction to Business for first-year business students. 

Cordova’s appointment marks the launch of the College of Business Executive-in-Residence program, which brings experienced industry leaders to campus for a semester-long visiting faculty term. Executives-in-Residence teach in their professional area, mentor students, support outreach with the business community and assist with the college’s student-development initiatives in professional development and ethics. 

Bryan Ashenbaum, Dean of the College of Business, was beyond excited that Cordova accepted the call.

“John brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to the role, our business students will be learning first-hand from a top executive and pioneer in sports marketing,” he said.

Cordova said the invitation came as a surprise after years of short-term teaching engagements at other institutions.

“I’ve accepted these types of assignments before at other universities, but they were limited to a week of teaching classes,” he said. “When Dean Ashenbaum called me, I assumed he was asking for a week. Instead, he was looking for an entire semester — and I’m honored to have been asked.” 

He added that while he is the college’s inaugural Executive-in-Residence, he hopes many other NMSU alumni will follow.

“Some of my best professors were individuals who had real-life experience in business, and I hope I can bring that same perspective during my time back on campus,” Cordova said.

Cordova brings more than 40 years of leadership experience in the sports marketing industry. At Coca-Cola, he led negotiations with the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, FIFA and the Olympic Games. His career also includes roles with Major League Baseball, the Milwaukee Brewers and Miller Brewing Company. 

Returning to NMSU holds personal meaning for Cordova, who has spent decades giving back through endowed scholarships and campus engagement.

“I was fortunate and privileged to have the opportunity to attend and graduate from New Mexico State University on a football scholarship, and I never forgot the opportunity I was given,” he said. “Giving back has always been top of mind, and now I have the opportunity to do so with students in the classroom.” 

Cordova credits NMSU with laying the foundation for his entry into sports business, even before the field existed in its modern form.

“There was no industry called ‘sports marketing’ when I was a student,” he said. “My management degree and MBA prepared me from a general business standpoint, and the specialization came later.”

He recalled being told he didn’t need another degree to break into the field.

“When I applied to the only sports marketing master’s program at the time, at another university, the director said, ‘You already have an MBA from New Mexico State — there’s nothing more we can teach you.’ That’s when it hit me, NMSU had already prepared me academically; it was up to me to go out and earn the opportunity.” 

Looking ahead to the spring semester, Cordova said he is eager to guide students through the realities of the sports industry.

“I have seventeen weeks to take these students through my 40-plus years in sports business — the lessons learned, challenges faced and opportunities seized,” he said. “My goal is simple: to show students what’s possible when you bring passion, commitment, curiosity and persistence into this field. At a minimum, I hope we explore something that guides their career path — and maybe even changes their life.” 

Cordova previously served as a graduate assistant for NMSU’s football program in 1980 and 1981 and later as a graduate assistant in the College of Business in 1982. His return now brings his career full circle — from student, to industry leader, to mentor in the same classrooms where his journey began. Spring 2026 course registration opens later this academic year.

For more information, contact the Department of Marketing at the NMSU College of Business.

Tatiana Favela writes for New Mexico State University Marketing and Communications and can be reached at 575-646-7953, or by email at tfavela5@nmsu.edu.