Join us as we highlight a new Woman of Red in each newsletter, talking Bucs fandom, a love for football and what the Bucs are doing to bring that to the forefront of the sport. Today, we're talking to Shannon Sbar, who is the Vice President of Channels – North America at APC by Schneider Electric. As a female executive, she's used to being in mostly male board rooms or on the golf course with the guys and as a result, she's a very strong female advocate for equality in the workplace.
She's also a very strong advocate of the Buccaneers, electing to bring her clients to Bucs games each season. Growing up in South Tampa, she's been a Bucs fan – and a football fan – her whole life, which means Sbar gets the added benefit of seeing her favorite team play while entertaining clients. Not a bad deal for a sales executive, huh?
What made you become a Bucs fan in the beginning?
"I believe in loyalty to the team you grew up with no matter how good or bad they are. That's my personal opinion. I was born in Gainesville, Florida but I've lived here since I was two. I went to college at FSU, lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota and just grew up a Bucs fan. I've always been excited and proud that we had our own stadium and our own team because I know not everyone has that. As you get older, you realize how great it is to have football right in your backyard."
How has your Bucs fandom stuck with you throughout your life?
"When I was about 28, I moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota for work and that's when the Vikings were in our division. I had Bucs flags, I had Bucs all in my office. I had even more of a pride thing going for the Buccaneers. People always said oh, when you lived there did you become a Vikings fan? And that's like the worst thing someone could ever say to me. It's not a crazy story but I've lived in South Tampa my whole life and I've just always been a Buccaneer fan – and I love football."
As a Luxury Suiteholder, what was it that made you invest in the Bucs?
"I run a sales team and I have a budget for entertainment. I'm on the road so much so my goal really was to get my customers to me. It would get me off the road a little bit more and get them to come to Florida and come see the Buccaneers play. It was an added benefit for me to get to go to all the games but I booked the suite and it's my fourth year I've had it. I love the Bucs."
Do you have a favorite Bucs memory?
"That Super Bowl year, that was an amazing run. That's when all your dreams came true, you know what I mean? I was in school with Derrick Brooks and Brad Johnson. They were both there when I was at FSU. Warrick Dunn came after so we had a lot of Seminoles, which was really fun for me. You kind of grow up with them and they were such a big part of those winning years."
