Work hard, serve others, find good mentors

Byron Spruell speaks with Dean Martijn Cremers during the Dean’s Speaker Event in fall 2024.

With a high-flying career and a life filled with achievements including serving as co-captain of the Fighting Irish football team and as a member of the University of Notre Dame Board of Trustees, Byron Spruell (MBA ’89, ND ’87) has more than a few nuggets of wisdom, as he calls them, to share from his journey.

Spruell, president of league operations at the National Basketball Association, related several of those recently when he joined Mendoza College of Business Dean Martijn Cremers for a fireside chat as part of the Dean’s Speaker Series.

His presentation on September 20 included a taste of NBA game hype: a screening of the NBA’s latest sizzle reel and lobbing NBA t-shirts through Mendoza’s Jordan Auditorium to audience members. But he delivered a deeper message to the audience of students, faculty, staff and visitors about what he called  “catalytic moments” —  lessons and interactions that influenced his path in life.

Work hard  

As a child in a middle-class family growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, Spruell remembers his parents telling him, “You are blessed with talents and gifts. Use them to the best of your ability.” His”best” landed him academically at the top of his high school class and commanded attention as a stand-out athlete.

Byron Spruells (Photo by Adam Rashka)

“I liked football but I didn’t love it like I loved basketball,” he remembered. “But I knew it was my best path to Division I opportunities. Considering both athletic and academic excellence, even 37 years later, choosing Notre Dame was a great decision.”

Following graduation, Spruell joined Peterson Consulting, now Guidehouse, where he encountered a strong entrepreneurial culture that required an aggressive approach, leading to another of his nuggets. “The worst thing people can do is say no,” he said. “I told myself, ‘I’m simply having a conversation here. All they can do is say no.’”

When asked about leadership principles he relies on, Spruell recounted his version of the “Six Ps,” a concept that mentor Barry Salzberg, the former CEO at Deloitte Global, introduced to him: Proper planning and preparation promotes peak performance.

“You can ingrain this in what you’re doing day to day, week to week, month to month to make yourself and your organization better and bring value, perspective and voice to make change,” he said.

Spruell put these words into action as he worked his way up through the ranks at Deloitte to eventually become Salzberg’s chief of staff and then the vice chairman of its central region market. Next, in what he called a “you can’t make this up” moment, an opportunity to join the NBA leadership came his way. In 2016 Spruell accepted the position of president of league operations, soon witnessing Team USA win basketball gold at the Rio Olympics and his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, bring home the NBA championship.

Spruell’s work at the NBA includes domestic and international basketball operations, referee operations, and basketball strategy and analytics. He’s principally responsible for the processes regarding the management of rule changes, the development, evaluation and training of game officials, the enforcement of conduct standards and discipline, and the application of analytics, innovation and strategy on the future evolution of the game.

Serve others

Spruell shared a favorite quote from Jackie Robinson: “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” Spruell said he tries to live his life by that sentiment. He spoke about his love of service through his work on the Jackie Robinson Foundation Board and as chair of the University’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force, which created a framework that is still used today.

To illustrate the point, he showed a photo from his Notre Dame football days where he’s not the central focus in the frame. Heisman Trophy winner and NFL Hall of Famer Tim Brown is carrying the ball against Navy, but just to the right, Spruell’s backside is pictured as he blocks a defensive player so that Brown can advance down the field.

“This is one of my favorite pictures because it’s actually not about me. It’s about Tim Brown,” he said. “To this day, that’s Byron. I can’t get away from that; I’m an offensive lineman. I get joy out of opening holes and doors for people.”

Surround yourself with people invested in your success

Spruell repeatedly attributed his success to mentors along his journey who offered support and advice. Referring to them as a “personal board of directors,” Spruell included a range of people from his parents, his sixth-grade teacher and his high school coach, to Salzberg and former Notre Dames head football coach Lou Holtz.

As Spruell was deciding on his first career step after earning his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering and his MBA, Holtz advised Spruell to go where “you trust the people, they love what they do and they’re committed to your excellence.” He has replayed this catalytic conversation whenever he’s faced a career decision, such as when he was considering whether to begin his career in consulting or whether to leave Deloitte after two decades to join the NBA.

“These types of catalytic moments aren’t a coincidence, in my view,” he said.

The Mendoza College of Business Dean’s Speaker Series focuses on leadership and features respected senior executives from top global companies across diverse industries. Through engaging discussions, the leaders share their unique insights on careers, global trends, effective leadership and emerging issues affecting business and society. The series is sponsored by the Burns Family endowment.