LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Collegiate marketer Learfield announced today that Josh Hartman has been named general manager for its brand-new “Little Rock Trojan Sports Properties” team solely dedicated to representing Little Rock Athletics.

Bringing in Hartman, a seasoned sports and entertainment marketer, is Learfield’s first move on the heels of being named the university’s first-ever athletics multimedia rightsholder two months ago. Hartman relocates to Little Rock from Rochester, Mich., where he served nine years as director of sales and marketing for General Sports and Entertainment and as director, corporate partnerships for the company’s United Shore Professional Baseball League. During his tenure, he designed and implemented significant company-wide marketing and sponsorship programs and initiatives, drove the comprehensive integrated sponsorship platform, and helped create and establish the new United Shore Professional Baseball League.

Hartman has additional experience with the NFL’s Detroit Lions, where he was a marketing and premium sales representative, and held numerous sports and sales focused internships, at agencies as well as in minor league baseball and hockey. He is a graduate of Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Learfield’s Little Rock Trojan Sports Properties will be led by Hartman, who will work closely with Director of Athletics Chasse Conque and the university athletic department. They will align on all initiatives now and when the 10-year partnership between the two parties officially launches with the start of the 2017-18 athletic season. The local team will manage all aspects of the Little Rock-Learfield rights agreement, which includes signage, digital, corporate sponsorships, television and radio play-by-play, and coaches’ shows.

“We are excited about our partnership with Learfield, and the hiring of Josh as the first general manager of Little Rock Trojan Sports Properties,” said Conque. “I am pleased we were able to attract someone of his caliber and look forward to him joining Little Rock’s Team. Our partnership with Learfield is key to the future success of Little Rock Athletics, and I am confident our current and future sponsors will enjoy working with Josh and the Learfield team.”

“Josh comes to Little Rock with quality, diverse experience which we feel confident will translate beautifully into what we plan on putting into motion for the Trojans. We’re excited to get going and pleased to have him leading our team,” said Learfield Vice President David Hubbard.

Of the more than 120 collegiate institutions, conferences and arenas represented by Learfield, eight are Sun Belt Conference members as it also holds individual rights agreements with Arkansas State, Georgia Southern, Idaho, ULM, New Mexico State, UTA and Texas State. An industry leader for more than four decades, Learfield has a deep presence in the college athletics landscape nationwide and supports athletic departments at all competitive levels as title sponsor of the prestigious Learfield Directors’ Cup. Learfield also provides its collegiate partners access to professional concessions and ticket sales; branding, licensing and trademark consulting; digital and social platform expertise; campus-wide business and sponsorship development; and venue and technology systems through its affiliated companies.