Meet Chase Johnsen ’20! Chase graduated from Chapman with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He moved from Seattle to Orange in the fall of 2016 to begin his undergraduate career. He distinctly remembers finding the Chapman community incredibly friendly, passionate, and motivating. “The Chapman community gave me a sense of belonging and drive that has stuck with me to this day.” 

Chase’s Chapman Experience 

“At Argyros, I pursued my passion for Marketing and paired it with a fantastic minor in the Leadership Studies program.” Chase names Professors Marshall Toplansky and Dr. Niklas Myhr as two influential instructors who provided him with incredible insight into marketing, analytics, and conveying a marketing message with intention. He also expresses gratitude to Professors Dan Krikorian and Dr. Mark Maier from his leadership minor, who helped him find his leadership style and harness it for long-term career success.

“In my senior year, Professor Pete Evanow taught MKTG 495, 496 – Sports & Entertainment Marketing. That was right up my alley!” In this class, Chase developed a full appreciation for the wide breadth of the business world that the sports industry encompasses. This class also gave him a great understanding of the organization he would later join – Seattle Kraken.

Chase truly maximized his undergraduate experience both in and out of the classroom. During his time at Chapman, Chase was President of Chapman’s Interfraternity Council and the Vice President of Public Relations for the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. Chase was also a member of the on-campus acappella group The Chaptones. He also made an effort to get to know classmates from different schools of thought and engage with professors after class to learn more from them and become better equipped for his future career. “I developed a love for film by working on projects with my friends in Dodge College; I learned the financial layers of an organization such as the Seattle Kraken alongside students in Finance 317 and met with teachers after class”.

Chase’s Career Experience

Chase is currently a Brand Creative and Producer for the Seattle Kraken. The Seattle Kraken is the newest franchise in the National Hockey League and played its inaugural season in 2021/22. Chase started working on the Kraken Marketing team as an intern in January 2019, during his junior year at Chapman. “I was fortunate to be a part of the small team that worked with Adidas to develop the Kraken brand, including the team name, colors, jersey, and brand launch.” Upon graduation in 2020, he was brought on full-time as a Marketing Coordinator and was responsible for managing creative deliverables. As Brand Creative and Producer, Chase and his team are responsible for developing campaigns and design work for each season.

Before his time at the Kraken, he was a Marketing Specialist for Zadart Exotic Car Rentals – a startup based in Bellevue, Washington. In this position, he got to be a part of building the Zadart brand from the ground up, and he was responsible for working with the owners to develop a brand identity, lead video production, and create a cohesive design suite. This work aligned well with the brand work just underway when he joined the Seattle Kraken in January 2019.

Chase’s Advice to Argyros Students

First, for those looking to go into sports, this industry is small and incredibly interconnected. To break in, identify connections and stay connected. I highly recommend taking time while at Chapman to speak with industry members to help you find your specific area of passion and make these new relationships long-term. While at Chapman, Argyros provided on-campus opportunities to connect with representatives from the Angels, Galaxy, and LAFC. Take advantage of these! It’s important to remember that even if someone doesn’t have a specific job or internship for you right now, they might have something for you down the road or know someone who does. People in sports frequently meet with individuals interested in working in sports, so stay top of mind by sharing interesting tactics you’re seeing other teams use and congratulating industry members on their work. The people you want to work for will remember your spark if you share it with them over time.

Secondly, several times in my career, I’ve been given opportunities to take on projects I didn’t know how to do. The best advice I can give someone when this happens is to stay committed to a ‘make it happen’ mentality. Be the team member who is always ready to take on something new and see it through to the end. You may not have all the answers when you get started, but Chapman has prepared you for this! Hit the ground running, ask questions, and finish strong.