J.D. Blackburn: Life on the Back 40
Chris Pepple |
Fishing evokes wonderful memories for many people. We remember days on the back 40, the place where the house couldn’t be seen and the phone couldn’t be heard. We found our favorite spot where our friends knew we were when we disappeared for a few hours. We remember hiking to remote areas to spend relaxing days with our families around a lake with the sun reflecting off the blueness of the water. Children chased butterflies and frogs until we saw their bobber going under. We called out that they were getting a bite, and everyone huddled around the pole waiting for the fish to be hooked. We cherished the laughter of children as they landed their first fish. We remember our first fish, too, thinking that it must have weighed at least ten pounds.
Blackburn with daughter Hannah Blackburn with daughter Addie
J.D. Blackburn (’97) enjoys many days like this with his wife and two daughters. He smiles when he talks about Addie, his two-year-old daughter, catching her first fish recently and jokes about Hannah becoming a fishing expert at the young age of 5. He and his wife, Liana, are fortunate to have time to create wonderful memories for their family. Blackburn remembers learning to fish when he was four. His family spent many hours together on the back 40 in South Carolina and on Lake Michigan when they lived in Buffalo Grove, Ill.
Blackburn, however, knows another side of fishing also. He knows the ins and outs of the professional fishing circuit and has turned that knowledge into a new career. Blackburn, who graduated as an All-American student athlete with a degree in professional accounting and finance/economics, is the founder and president of Professional Fishing Management, a venture began in 2006. When Blackburn worked with the Chicago Board of Trade in 1994, he finished hectic workdays with the hope that he could find a career that felt personally rewarding and opened doors to follow goals he was passionate about. Settling in Nashville after graduation brought him closer to that goal. In Nashville, Blackburn worked with Deloitte, the world’s second largest business services firm, gaining experience in a broad range of industries with companies including Nissan, Saturn, HCA, Dollar General, Service Merchandise, Sumner Suites and the Academy of Country Music. He served seven years in management in the healthcare industry with Ortholink Physicians Corporation, an orthopedic physician practice management company, and United Surgical Partners International, the world’s largest manager of ambulatory surgical facilities. He still works as a consultant in the healthcare industry.
In 2006, Blackburn decided to combine his business management experience with his passion for fishing. He created Professional Fishing Management to explore marketing opportunities related to the professional fishing industry. Blackburn assists businesses in landing new customers through the growing world of professional fishing. Bass anglers alone account for $42 billion in retail sales each year, and the overall annual economic impact of fishing is $116 billion. Though it has been a professional sport for over forty years, the popularity of competitive bass fishing is exploding thanks to mainstream media outlets CBS, ESPN, Fox Sports, Versus, Outdoor Channel and cable television delivering dozens of hours of coverage each week. Bass fishing fans follow their sport on popular internet sites at the regional, national and international levels. Blackburn knows that this is an important market to tap into.
“I am thrilled that I can work with the fishing industry. This is a great market to help businesses fit into. Most people associate fishing with positive qualities such as family, relaxation and respect for our natural world. Companies want to be associated with something so positive. The elite fishermen are good role models who earn the respect of their fans. There’s a lot of passion and loyalty in the fishing world. I help companies associate these positive images with their services and products. I also help advertisers be authentic. Fishing professionals and fans know if you show a person holding the rod wrong or in a boat with waders on,” said Blackburn.
Blackburn has not only used his passion for fishing to create a successful company, but has also used his enjoyment of the great outdoors to serve others. He helped create and continues to volunteer through Back 40 Outreach, a group of Christians who share their love for Jesus and their love for the outdoors with others. The group hosts outdoor activities such as fishing tournaments and dove hunts, using these events to reach out to others and to strengthen their own relationships with God. Blackburn also serves as treasurer for Lighthouse Family Ministries, Inc. This organization serves families in times of tragedy, trauma and trouble. The primary focus is to serve the many needs of people who experience the death of loved ones due to homicide, suicide, a fatal accident or a sudden unexpected death.
The Lipscomb fishing team with Coach Andy Mankin
Blackburn also brought his love of fishing to the Lipscomb campus. “One day last summer, J.D. approached me about starting a fishing team at Lipscomb. I thought it was a great idea. I recruited two students, seniors Kyle McAfee and Tyler Vickery. To help us get started, J.D. got sponsors. Triton boats donated our jerseys. Clark Marine Sales, Secret Weapon, and CJR Bottling—Clearblu Tennessee Spring Water sponsored our guys,” said fishing team coach Andy Mankin, director of campus recreation.
Lipscomb’s fishing team started competitions this past school year. Many schools such as Lipscomb, Penn State, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Arizona State and Western Kentucky are now sponsoring fishing teams as the popularity of the professional sport grows. When Lipscomb’s team went to Dallas to compete in their first tournament, they finished 29th out of 83 teams.
“Having J.D. help us was a real advantage,” said Mankin.
“I love the sport and appreciate my Lipscomb connections,” said Blackburn. “I remember fishing with some of my teammates when I played on the Bisons baseball team. Through my career, I help connect companies with the anglers who can best endorse their products and services. It was great to get to find sponsors for the Lipscomb team and be a part of their beginnings. I am glad to be a part of helping to grow the sport.”