FIRST & GOAL

Emmitt Smith knows a little something about scoring TDs—now he’s looking to lead the Emerging Business Program to the endzone

By Steve Pate

Thursday, July 29, 2010 - 11:40am

SPEAKING UP: Smith wants to be out front, talking up the Emerging Business Program whenever possible.

BUSINESSMAN: Smith, talking with the Cowboys’ Charlotte Jones-Anderson (back to the camera), is CEO of ESmith Legacy, Inc.

When they asked Emmitt Smith to be Honorary Chairman for Super Bowl XLV’s Emerging Business Action Team, he said no.

He wanted more than that.

“Putting your name to something is kind of passive work in a lot of ways,” says Smith, who serves as majority partner and CEO of ESmith Legacy, Inc., a Dallas-based commercial real estate firm. “That’s what they expect honorary people to do.

“But when you start talking about emerging businesses, I have a small company myself that’s trying to emerge and break from the cluster. In that position you understand some of the challenges. I bring a different perspective to the table outside of just being an honorary chairperson.”

Smith’s reasoning prompted Gina Puente-Brancato to enthusiastically share the role of Co-Chair in what has the potential to be the most acclaimed Emerging Business Program in Super Bowl history.

“When I talked with Gina the first time,” Smith says, “I kind of asked her permission to allow me to Co-Chair with her versus being an Honorary Chair, and she was so gracious, and so kind, to afford me the opportunity to be in a position to effect changes.”

The NFL league office, of course, has an emerging business supervisor. And the North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee, in turn, has Robbie Douglas overseeing the program under the overall direction of Bill Lively, the Host Committee’s President & CEO. Then the Action Team includes another two dozen North Texas business owners.

It’s a total team effort.

Puente-Brancato kiddingly says she thinks of Emmitt as a dancer who happened to play football. Her reference is to Smith’s winning ABC’s “Dancing With The Stars” competition with partner Cheryl Burke in 2006.

One day you’re breaking NFL records and winning Super Bowls. The next, you’re tripping the light fantastic on national TV. And now, you’re not just playing in a Super Bowl, you’re putting one on — with new dance partners.

“As a player you don’t think about the behind-the-scenes work that goes into bringing a Super Bowl to a city because you’re too busy thinking about playing,” Smith says.

“Somebody has to organize it because it is an entertainment event. Therefore, it takes a lot of behind-the-scenes work.”

Super Bowls are remarkable extravaganzas at so many levels, many of which go unnoticed by the general public. The program for minority- and women-owned businesses stretches way beyond entertainment value. The benefits for those participating in North Texas’ first-ever Super Bowl could be profound.

“My goal is to actually provide opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses, to break into opportunities not always available to them,” Smith says. “When you’re bringing a Super Bowl to North Texas and you’re generating so many tax dollars, and people are making money by providing services, it’s good for the NFL to provide people from that region opportunities to be involved at a major level.

“And so, my goal is to try and provide opportunities for well-qualified companies to do business with the National Football League. Not just do business with $30,000, but do sustained business, not just for the Super Bowl, but for life.”

Smith is quick to sing the praises of Douglas and Puente-Brancato. Douglas returns the compliments, saying, “So much of the objective of the Action Team is about galvanizing the community, communicating the message and delivering the message into communities in which our Action Team members work and reside. It’s very important that we have leadership that understands the mission, and the legacy, of the Emerging Business Program.

“We are thrilled that Gina and Emmitt have agreed to equally share the load in terms of their leadership.”

Probably the NFL’s single greatest record is its career rushing leader. Smith holds that record with 18,355 rushing yards. He is already a member of the Dallas Cowboys’ Ring of Honor. Next year he will, undoubtedly, be inducted into the NFL’s Hall of Fame on his first ballot.

Smith touched the ball 4,924 times as an NFL player — 4,409 as a runner, 515 catching passes. He lost only 25 fumbles.

Now he’s carrying the proverbial ball for the North Texas Host Committee’s vital Emerging Business Program. Don’t look for him to drop it.