About FTS
Based in both the Capital Region of New York State and the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas, From The Stretch (FTS) is an executive level consulting practice designed to drive revenues and exposure through the development of strategic marketing and sales practices.
With over 28 years of business development experience in large matrix organizations as well as smaller locally-based businesses, FTS features well rounded expertise in a wide variety of disciplines.
Specializing in revenue generation, COVID-19 Protocols, marketing partnerships, media relations, digital and social media, innovative technologies, operational structure, P&L management, government relations, facility design and management, and mentor-ship in engaging presentation skills, FTS helps your business succeed quickly by “getting to the target faster”.
What's in a Name?
Our name embodies our vision....
Just as a baseball pitcher alters his delivery to home plate when managing runners on base, FTS helps your business modify its approach to top priorities while addressing the evolving challenges around you.
Today's business landscape requires doing more with less and can often prevent you from staying on course with developing or executing strategy.
Working with FTS allows you to embrace evolution and stretch boundaries to get to the target faster.
Shawn H. Smith
Senior Vice President &
Managing Partner
Senior Executive of Business
Development & Brand
Management
Prior to joining FTS in 2015, Smith served as the Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer of the NBA Development League (now the NBA Gatorade League, the official minor league system of the NBA). He spearheaded the property's digital strategy of utilizing affordable technology to distribute and monetize full game, highlights, vignettes, and behind the scenes HD (high definition) content via digital and broadcast resources significantly growing the League’s digital impressions and deepening relationships and programming options with national broadcast partners.
Shawn was also responsible for day-to-day business operations and collaborative ventures in marketing tactics, broadcast and digital programming/content, marketing partnerships, team business development, international efforts, and league expansion initiatives.
Prior to his 7 years in that role, he spent 2 years with the NBA as a Vice President in the NBA's lauded Team Marketing and Business Operations (TMBO) division advising NBA, WNBA, and NBA Development League teams on how to grow all business aspects of their operations.
15 years prior to joining the NBA, Shawn served as team President and/or General Manager of teams within the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, and Houston Astros organizations. During this period he was deeply involved in the construction and management of five new stadium facilities while winning numerous national and local honors for business achievements.
He is earned his Masters degree from Syracuse University’s prestigious Newhouse School and received his undergraduate degree from Purdue University.
Shawn currently serves on non-profit boards in Northern Massachusetts, was inducted into Syracuse University's Newhouse Professional Gallery in 2012 and the Providence Day (Charlotte, NC) High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.