REFERENCES

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 SUE BARKER, former French Open Champion and now a Sports and News Anchor with the BBC, the only commentator allowed on Wimbledon's Centre Court:
 

            “I have known Karen Scott Happer for over 35 years as a professional in the sports marketing business and a friend.  She is a consummate professional and is an internationally respected sports marketing executive. During my playing days, I competed in a number of the first class professional tennis tournaments she promoted and I worked with her on the promotion of her One Love tennis clothing line.  As a television anchor for the BBC, I have continued to work with her.  For example, Karen organized an exclusive interview for me and the BBC with Jimmy Connors during the 2004 Wimbledon to commemorate the 30th anniversary of his first Wimbledon singles championship in 1974.”

JIMMY CONNORS, Grand Slam Champion, member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, the greatest competitor ever in professional tennis:

            “Organizer, Arranger, Director, Coordinator.  Not often can you say all this and comes in one package – but Karen Scott Happer has proven she can do it all.  And with the personality, intelligence and wit to match;  working together is a new experience on a daily basis.
 

            But make no mistake, Karen is all business.  Whether running the Men’s 35 & Over Champions Tennis Tour (which she did for me from 1993-1999) or looking after Sponsor involvement, her energies are focused on making it all a success.
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            Through all my years in sports, Karen is indeed a “one of a kind”.  It has been a pleasure working with her for so many years, and I am looking forward to more of the same in the future.”

 DAVID HILL, Former Chairman and CEO of Fox Sports Television Group:

            “Karen Scott has been a human tennis dynamo ever since I’ve known her, which while she may hate me saying it, stretches over 35 years!

            We met in Australia during a television show which honored the legendary Harry Hopman and attracted every major tennis star.

            What was so impressive were her organization skills, her promotional skills, her people skills, but more important than that was her unfailing good humor in the face of continuing adversity (yes, Virginia, tennis players can be a tad difficult to organize!) and her unquenchable enthusiasm for the game.

            Nothing has changed with Karen since that first job.  Oops.  Got that wrong.  Things have changed.  All those skills I mentioned?  That just got better over the years.”

            She’s run a Grand Slam event, she’s run innumerable tournaments, she’s involved countless sponsors in the game (and they all just keep coming back, so she’s doing something right!)  and she’s baby sat, mothered, shouted at, cajoled, bullied coached, cried with, laughed with and just plain helped more tennis players than anyone could imagine.

            And you know what?  Through tennis’ ups and downs of the last quarter century, her love, enthusiasm and excitement about the game and its players have, if it is possible, just got stronger.”  

KEN MESSICK, formerly Vice President – U.S. Sales, Schick Wilkinson Sword and  marketing executive with SmartBalance:

            “Having a long standing working relationship with Champagne Tennis® and Karen Happer, they have provided a creative forum of merchandising events tied to Tennis that has excelled our Customer’s growth, while driving incremental top line volume and bottom line profitability for our Brands.

            Over the years, Karen has developed exceptional programs for our Supermarket & Drug Store business.  From my past tenure at PepsiCo/Tropicana to my current career with Schick Wilkinson Sword/Energizer, Karen has developed customized programs that we have cooperatively sponsored with our Customers.  The programs tied to in-store promotions, sweepstakes, tennis clinics with players, sampling, tickets and media exposure have proved to be an effective method to drive incremental business.”

 PAM SHRIVER, Grand Slam Champion, Member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, Former President of the WTA, Television Commentator:
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            I have known Karen Scott Happer as a friend and as a professional in the sports marketing business for over 35 years, which pretty much covers my entire career as a professional players, tennis administrator and television commentator.  Karen has represented me as a player and as a player I have played in numerous tournaments and events that she has promoted and staged as the tournament organizer/director, all of which were presented on a first class basis.  Karen is a consummate professional and has always maintained a terrific relationship with all male and female professional tennis players and with the many sponsors she has introduced into tennis sponsorships.  She has a unique and respected position in the sports marketing industry.

 JERRY SOLOMON, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF STAR GAMES LLC, FOUNDER AND PRODUCER OF THE BNP PARIBAS SHOWDOWN FOR 10 YEARS AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN AND WORLD TENNIS DAY:

            I have worked with Karen Scott Happer since our days at ProServ Australia in the mid-1980s.  She is first class in every way and, as they say, “someone you want in the trenches with you”.  Somehow Karen has blended an ever present sunny disposition with steely determination.  Perhaps more to the point, she makes everything look easy and fun while bringing a “can do” approach even if that means mixing it up under less than ideal conditions.

​Karen’s work with StarGames really speaks for itself.  Whether through sponsorship sales at the BNP Paribas Showdown, commercial sales on our NBC broadcast of A Salute to the Golden American Skating, arranging for and organizing client endorsements and appearances in Australia or hands on event management at the London Showdown, Karen delivers.  In this business, that is the ultimate compliment. 

KEN SOLOMON, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE TENNIS CHANNEL:

            Tennis Channel would simply not be where we are today without Karen Scott Happer.  Her experience, ingenuity, energy and particularly her always sage advice have been essential to both me and our company in building a world class cable network devoted to the game of tennis.  Many marvel at Karen’s honest and unflinchingly straightforward approach to all she does and she brings a level of class and humanity of the absolute highest caliber to everything she touches.  Most importantly, I am proud and lucky to consider her a great friend.

MICHELE SICARD, FORMER HEAD OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS AMERICAS, BNP PARIBAS, NEW YORK CITY:

            Karen is just an amazing person!  She is extremely professional and has a fantastic network in the tennis world.  She is very creative, dedicated and has been instrumental in the success of the BNP Paribas Showdown in Madison Square Garden in New York City.  I enjoy very much working with her and love her enthusiasm and sense of humor.  I am proud she is also my great friend!

 VIJAY VAD, MD, Sports Medicine Specialist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York and Physician for the BNP Paribas Showdown at Madison Square Garden:

            “I have worked with Karen for the past two decades - first as physician for the senior tennis circuit and now as a physician for the MSG tennis showdown.  Karen is an absolute pleasure to work with and is magical and can make things happen.  I have been lucky to have known her and her husband, Marshall, who are amazing people.”

TRACY SANDFORD, formerly Director of Marketing, JetBlue Airways:
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“Sponsorship client service that has been perfected by Karen Scott Happer and Champagne Tennis®.  Karen truly cares about each of her clients and works diligently to ensure that each sponsorship deal is crafted and executed to meet and exceed the sponsor’s goals and budgets.”