Barrington native plays key role with Bruins

Posted 1/29/16

Hockey was a big part of Chris DiPierro's life while growing up in Barrington, and now it plays an even bigger role.

Just 36 years of age, the Barrington native is living the dream in arguably the most passionate sports city in America. He …

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Barrington native plays key role with Bruins

Posted

Hockey was a big part of Chris DiPierro's life while growing up in Barrington, and now it plays an even bigger role.

Just 36 years of age, the Barrington native is living the dream in arguably the most passionate sports city in America. He currently serves as director of marketing for the Boston Bruins, a position he’s held since 2008.

“This has been a dream job,” he said. “There’s a great passion of Boston sports fans. It’s really special.”

The son of John and Gail DiPierro of Barrington, Chris graduated from Barrington High School in 1997, where he played hockey and baseball for four years. As a youngster, he became familiar with the Bruins when his dad, a huge Boston sports fan, got Bruins tickets for the family.

“My parents were big Bruins fans during the Bobby Orr era,” said Chris. “The Bruins and Boston sports were a big part of my life.”

John DiPierro says his son’s hockey development was accelerated by his willingness to learn. It was a work in progress.

“Chris was a standup kid,” he recalled. “He started hockey late and progressed quickly. He loves a challenge. He was a driven kid. He has a lot of character.”

Mr. DiPierro, a longtime New England Patriots season ticket-holder, said Chris enabled him to live his own sports dream when his son gave him tickets to the Super Bowl game against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2005.

“It was my greatest sports thrill ever,” he said.

Chris later attended Northeastern University from 1997 to 2002 and participated in the co-op program, holding various intern positions at the Fleet Center (now TD Garden), Massachusetts Sports Partnership, 2001 U.S. Figure Skating Championships LOC, and the Boston Red Sox Radio Network.

“As an intern, I actually sat between Red Sox radio network broadcasters Jerry Trupiano and Joe Castiglione,” he said. “I wanted to go to school for communications. I thought about being a broadcaster, but had a change of heart later on.”

Chris graduated from Northeastern with a bachelor of arts degree in journalism (public relations) in 2002.

A most articulate and well-versed young man on virtually any sports topic, Chris started his career in June 2002 at the Fleet Center as a marketing and public relations coordinator.

“There,” he noted, “ I worked on marketing and PR initiatives for all of the non-Bruins and Celtics events, including Ringling Brothers, Disney On Ice, WWE, Harlem Globetrotters, concerts, and special sporting events, including the Beanpot and Hockey East Championships.”

To say that young Chris DiPierro was smack dab in the middle of some of the best entertainment the city of Boston had to offer, was an understatement. He’s interacted with many of the city’s most notable athletes and personalities, in addition to those in the Bruins family.

Chris worked briefly as marketing coordinator for the Bruins during the 2003-2004 season, just prior to the first NHL lockout.

“During the lockout,” he explained, “I went back to work for the arena as the event marketing manager, working on some of the same events as before. Following the NHL lockout in the summer of 2005, I relocated to Southern California for a position as marketing manager for the Anaheim Ducks, where I managed marketing strategy, campaign execution and even wrote for the team website during my two seasons with the Ducks. I was part of the transition from the old ‘Mighty Ducks’ to the current Ducks brand.”

In April 2007, Chris moved back to Boston to work for Activate Sports & Entertainment, an agency founded by former TD Garden Marketing Director Jim Delaney.

“In October 2008,” he said, “I rejoined the Bruins as director of marketing, where I oversee marketing, brand development, corporate partner activation, game presentation and promotions.”

Chris compared the elements, in terms of weather and fan base, between Southern California and Boston.

“It’s pretty nice out there in California, where the temperature is in the 70s and the hockey fans are pretty vocal and passionate,” he said. “Here in Boston, hockey people are even more passionate. This organization is great. I’ve been very fortunate to be a part of all the great stuff. It’s been a privilege to be a part of all of this.”

During his time with the Ducks and Bruins, Chris picked up two NHL Stanley Cup championship rings, one with Anaheim in 2007, and the other with the Bruins in 2011.

Always looking one step ahead, Chris DiPierro continually focuses on the future.

“I want to keep striving to do different things,” he offered. “There’s more out there.”

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