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Meet Your Neighbor: Meet the Neighbor – Susan T. Spencer
By Callie Thomas
Persistence, drive, experience, education and good communication are all qualities that make Susan T. Spencer a successful woman, entrepreneur, wife, mother and grandmother. They are also qualities of a woman that continually raises the roof on the possibilities for all women.
It’s easy to call the 89123 resident a “maverick” or “trailblazer” since she’s worked in male dominated industries throughout her career, including being a former general manager and lawyer for the Philadelphia Eagles (1980-1985), which she accomplished despite the chauvinistic attitude of the owner, her father, Leonard Tose. It was that experience that fed her need to succeed despite the obstacles. Spencer went on to acquire several companies in the food business, from distribution to meat processing for fast food restaurants. The title “author” can also be added to Spencer’s list of accomplishments, as she has written and published a book titled Briefcase Essentials, which gives women advice about succeeding in the business world, all based on her own experiences working in fields predominately run by males.
She’s also bucked tradition in another way by taking to the airwaves as a radio host of her own weekday sports program on KDWN called “Not Just Sports,” making her the only female talent talking about sports on the radio in Las Vegas. So where exactly does the tough, gutsy Spencer go from there? She’s made it her mission to give her time and talent as a mentor to business students and to organizations that help women enter the workforce to become everything and anything they want to be. Spencer spoke with us about the trials and tribulations of working her way to the top, why football will always be in her blood and how she’s setting the stage for others to get into the game of business.
Although you grew up around football all your life and love the game, you really didn’t want to have anything to do with the Eagles, yet you signed on to be part of the organization?
“I always wanted to create my own identity, and I was always rebelling against having to be under someone else’s identity. But when the team was suffering financially in the late 70’s, I offered my father legal services when I was in law school at a significantly lower rate. He didn’t hire me because I was family. He hired me because I worked cheap!”
You learned a lot during those years?
“I immersed myself in the organization, working within a predominately male environment which included my father. I had to make some pretty tough decisions which were extremely unpopular. Being submissive is just not in my DNA. Looking back, I am thankful for the lessons learned in my three years as GM of the team.”
You’ve taken those lessons and put them to work as a mentor to other women?
“I’m proud to be leading other women to be successful by hiring and mentoring them during my business career, building community awareness of sports in the Las Vegas high schools and drawing a spotlight on female athletes that are often ignored.”
Tell us about some of the organizations you support.
“I am on the Advisory Board for Touro University, which addresses critical needs in health care, and in Nevada I have worked with Dress for Success, which provides clothing and confidence for women in need so that they may enter the workforce. I also devote time to talk to undergrads and MBA students at UNLV about what it’s like to be in business. I’ve been a judge of the Business Plan competition as well as a donor for the Global Entrepreneur Program at UNLV.”
What do you enjoy most about your work?
“Being able to spread the word that women can accomplish, whatever they set out to do whether in sports, business or community activism and enlightening those that continue to pigeonhole women’s abilities to compete and succeed.”
What are you passionate about?
“My family, our grandchildren, our Morgan horses, Goldendoodles and highlighting the accomplishments of women.”
