It always starts with a handful of good people. Welcome inside the Sun Devil Club’s Young Professionals Group.

“We are cultivating athletic giving with a new generation of Sun Devils,” said Gabe Cagwin, ASU’s Associate Athletic Director for Development. “We identified that part of our fan base in their 20’s and 30’s that needed a voice. That voice has become the Young Professionals Group.”

With the collaboration of Cagwin, Rocky Harris, Jim Rund, Sun Devil Club Board President, Gregg Tryhus, and a group of young alumni, the Young Professionals Group was formed. Cagwin worked closely with the group’s Chairman, Tyler Sublette, who has played an instrumental role in getting the organization off the ground. The leaders created an initial list of 75 young prospects in the Valley whom they felt fit the mold of what they were after.

“This is an exclusive group, and one that is as much about hitting significant financial objectives as it is about being actively involved in advancing the cause,” Cagwin said.

“We began meeting with these individuals. They are smart, bright, just brilliant young people who have wanted to be part of something important like this for ASU Athletics.”

A requirement for each member is a $250 philanthropic donation, above and beyond their season tickets. Additionally, in order to address the need to broaden ASU’s donor base, each member must generate $1,000 worth of new revenue to the Sun Devil Club before 6/31/14.

The newly formed group has 50 original members and to ensure steady growth going into the fall, Membership Chairmen Steve Butterfield, Jr. and Chris Bolton held 30 interviews last week with potential prospects. They succeeded in recruiting 18 new members who will be introduced at their next meeting on June 3.

The Chair and Co-Chair are invited to Sun Devil Club Board meetings. “As for the future,” Cagwin remarked, “We want to create a pipeline into the Sun Devil Club Executive Board. We are creating a culture of giving to give, not giving to get.”

Here are the leaders of the leaders, the Young Professionals Executive Council:

Tyler Sublette- Chair
Brian Irby- Co-Chair
Chris Bolton- Membership
Steve Butterfield Jr- Membership
Greg Derr- Finance and Devil’s Ball
Jordan Ellis- Social Events
Mallory Kregle- Communication
Tom Enders- Golf Tourney
Sean McGraw- Student/Athletic Relations

NEXT FRIDAY the Young Professionals along with the Sun Devil Club are hosting an exclusive party, celebrating this past year for all of Sun Devil Athletics. Say ‘hello’ to…

The Devils Ball

The private party is next Friday, May 30 at Clayton on the Park, a hip location in the heart of Downtown Scottsdale. Mingle with Head Coaches and their staffs, Sun Devil Athletics Legends, the ASU Dance Team, Sparky and other donors.

Open Bar, Open Buffet, Music, DJ & Dancing

Roughly 100 tickets remain for the 2014 Devils Ball: $100 for Sun Devil Club members and $125 for non-members.

Stand behind these young Devils. Take their call. Get involved. Give a little. Become the newest member of the Sun Devil Club.

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To learn more about the Sun Devil Club’s Young Professionals Group, email Gabe Cagwin at [email protected].