LINCOLN – Since graduating from Southeast Community College in 1991 with an Associate of Applied Science degree in business administration, Jeff Maul has worked his way to become the executive director of the Lincoln Convention and Visitors Bureau, a position he’s held since late 2006.
Maul is this year’s SCC Distinguished Alumni Award recipient through the Nebraska Community College Association. He received the award Tuesday night during a ceremony in Grand Island.
“This is an exciting honor,” Maul said. “I’m appreciative of the community college education I received.”
This year’s NCCA ceremony took place at the Midtown Holiday Inn. Special guest was Dr. Walter G. Bumphus, president and chief executive officer of the American Association of Community Colleges.
Maul, a Lincoln native, has been at the Lincoln CVB since 2002 and has an additional 12 years of sales and marketing experience in the hospitality, corporate and health care industries. The ability to gain immediate experience in his program was a major reason why Maul chose SCC.
“When considering options for a college education, the opportunities seemed endless,” said Maul, who has no additional degree beyond SCC. “One thing that appealed to me was the ability to attend SCC and gain valuable experience that was very much hands-on. Coupled with the ability to get into the job market in two years made SCC the right decision. SCC made sense to me. And at the time, I had no interest in going beyond SCC.”
He said he felt a connection as he toured the campus and talked to SCC personnel.
“It was an immediate sell for me,” Maul said.
Maul said the one-on-one instruction he received at SCC played a huge part in being able to answer questions as they pertained to class discussions and real-life business questions.
“One thing I remember most about my educational experience was the job shadowing portion of my program,” he said. “Throughout college I worked at a local grocery store and really loved the industry, as well as the daily customer interaction. However, working in the grocery store’s meat department wasn’t exactly the sales experience that was going to take me to the next step in my career.
My instructor at the time worked with my employer to develop an individualized program that helped me focus on the merchandising of products through a change in aisle placement, pricing and improved customer service. Because of this program, I learned quickly from this new emphasis on the client’s needs, price concerns and overall interest in value.”
Maul said SCC’s hands-on personal touch is difficult to explain through marketing brochures or recruitment conversations.
“As I pursued my degree in marketing management, with intentions on getting into sales, the small class size helped foster one-on-one conversations with the faculty at SCC,” Maul said.
“This allowed me to customize my education based on the questions asked in class and the ability to grow my personality for a sales and marketing career. After two years, the beneficial class discussions and the caring faculty at SCC left me with no question about my career path.”
That experience within his marketing focus proved valuable. Prior to becoming executive director of the Lincoln CVB, Maul was director of sales and was part of a record-breaking sales effort in 2006 when more than 31,000 hotel room nights were booked in Lincoln for future events, 7,000 more than 2004 and 2005 combined.
Since Maul became executive director, the team at the CVB has seen steady growth each year. In 2010 a record 63,998 total room nights were booked.
The 2010 Special Olympics competition in Lincoln generated an estimated $30-$40 million for the Lincoln economy.
Other recent successful events booked through the CVB include the 2008/2010 USARS Roller Skating National Championships, the 2008 North America Senior Circuit Softball World Series, the 2009 SCCA Solo National Championships, the 2010 Women’s Professional Rodeo World Finals, and the 2012 Formula SAE competition.
Maul’s leadership skills developed from past experiences have elevated him as an influential leader within Lincoln.
Maul’s late father, Tom, had a tremendous influence on his career choice.
“He was in janitorial supply sales,” Maul said. “I learned a lot by just watching him.”
He said a student’s ability to learn in a hands-on environment such as SCC yields tremendous advantages.
“A degree of any kind will give a student an edge when entering the job market, but the ability to learn in an environment that promotes interaction, communication and hands-on experience makes SCC the educational institution for students,” he said.
Maul said he loves Lincoln and everything it offers both current and prospective residents.
“Now that I’m in tourism, I get to tell people what a great community we have,” he said. “I enjoy being the face of the organization responsible for growth and development. I can’t see myself doing anything else.”
Maul is involved with the Mayor’s Parking Advisory Council, the City of Lincoln Events Team, Special Olympics Nebraska, the Nebraska Sports Council, and is Past President of the Nebraska Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus. He’s also active in his church/school and on various city-appointed committees.
Maul and wife Kris have three children, two daughters ages 12 and 10, and a 7-year-old son.