The ROAR Podcast: Rick Wade

Rick Wade is Senior Vice President of Strategic Alliances and Outreach at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he leads the organization’s work connecting small businesses, athletes, and the broader business community to the sports economy.

He grew up in Lancaster, South Carolina. He earned his undergraduate degree at the University of South Carolina and a master’s in public policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. His career has moved between business and government. He served as chief of staff to South Carolina’s lieutenant governor and as a vice president at Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina, and he ran for South Carolina Secretary of State. In 2007 he joined then-Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign as a senior advisor. He later served at the U.S. Department of Commerce, where he led trade missions around the world.

After founding a global advisory firm, Rick began working with the U.S. Chamber as a consultant in 2016. He has been there ever since and has served six years on the board of USA Track & Field.

00:00 Welcome to The ROAR Podcast

00:47 Rick's non-linear path: 

01:45 The phone call from Senator Obama

02:56 From Commerce to consulting, and crashing the Chamber's party

05:06 What the U.S. Chamber is, and why it's focused on sports

08:48 Mega events as long-term economic engines

12:24 Sports districts and why "all business is local"

13:58 Using data to drive policy

15:33 Small businesses and AI adoption

18:24 Balancing large tenants and local businesses in districts

19:35 The 2027 NFL Draft and small business procurement

21:11 Athletes as "pro CEOs" and the Hiring Our Athletes idea

24:43 NIL and support for college athletes

25:21 Why athlete entrepreneurs need different support

27:54 Leading across the public and private sectors

32:08 Sport as a unifier and sports diplomacy

33:32 What brings Rick joy

37:51 What's next for Rick and the Chamber

38:55 Wrap-up: "Let's ROAR together"