Staff Profiles

Paul MacGregor

UMass Concessions & Retail Manager
Years in foodservice: 15
Years at UMass: 12
Birthplace: Boston, MA
Residence: Granby, MA
Education: Sport Management Degree – UMass 2000
Personal: 29 years old, Married to Rebecca, Father to son Ryan

If success in life can be measured in terms of doing what you love, Paul MacGregor may come close to having that perfect job. A huge sports fan, Paul gets to be around sporting events and athletes on a regular basis in his current job, even if he doesn’t get much opportunity to watch the events he’s working at.

“I fell into the job,” Paul recalls. “I was a freshman, and a couple of girls living on my floor said they were working at the Mullins Center and I should come and get a job there. I liked it a lot and I kept getting more and more responsibility. When I graduated, I was offered a full time job, so I took it.”

As far as squaring his career with his major—sports management—he says, “I had worked for my uncle in his pizza shop and I liked it, so it made sense to marry sports and food this way.”

As for sports fanaticism, thousands of Red Sox fans may claim they saw history made when the Sox beat the hated Yankees in Game 7 of the League Championship Series in 2004 to break The Curse of the Bambino, but Paul actually did.

“I went on the Internet and bought tickets to the game,” he says. “I probably paid more than I should have, but it was worth it. It was my first and only time in Yankee Stadium.”

The best part of my job is: Working with some great people and getting to be around sporting events.
The hardest part about my job is: Working an inconsistent schedule of long nights and weekends.
The first job I ever had was: Delivering newspapers.
The strangest job I’ve ever had was: Calling people to confirm their name and address. It was for a tool supply company that needed to confirm people’s names and addresses before sending out their catalogs. A friend of mine and I spent one entire summer doing that.
My refrigerator always contains: Sam Adams & Mountain Dew.
My favorite meal is: Uncle Zaki’s Buffalo Chicken Calzone.
The best restaurant I’ve ever eaten at was: Fire & Ice.
In my spare time, I like to: Golf, play poker, and follow Boston pro sports.
People are often most surprised to find out that I: Turned my backyard into a mini Fenway Park.
My most embarrassing moment was: Dressed up & falling in a puddle on the way to class.
The living person I’d most like to have dinner with is: Howard Stern
The person from history I’d most like to meet is: Red Auerbach.
The last good book I read was: Let Me Tell You a Story
My favorite movie is: Happy Gilmore / Braveheart.
On television I never miss: Seinfeld / Entourage / Family Guy.
My car radio is almost always tuned to: Sports Radio / Howard Stern.
Five things I can’t live without: My wife & son, my cell phone, family poker games, Boston sports, & Dunkin Donuts.