Alex Rodriguez to speak at YSU Thomas Colloquium March 26

Alex Rodriguez, one of the most accomplished athletes and business leaders of his generation, will present at the Youngstown State University Thomas Colloquium 7 p.m., Thursday, March 26, at Stambaugh Auditorium. 

Admission to the lecture is free and open to the public, but tickets are required. Tickets will be available at the DeYor Performing Arts Center Box Office and online beginning Monday, Feb. 16.

Rodriguez is the chair and CEO of A-Rod Corp, an investment firm that partners with world-class startups and industry-leading companies across real estate, sports, media and entertainment. Widely known for his legendary baseball career, including 14 MLB All-Star selections and a 2009 World Series championship, Rodriguez has spent more than 25 years building and scaling high-growth businesses, leading a team that enhances the value of more than 40 companies in the A‑Rod Corp portfolio.

In 2025, Rodriguez became majority owner of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves and their WNBA counterpart, the Minnesota Lynx, serving as co-chair alongside partner Marc Lore. He is also a strategic advisor to the Professional Fighters League, an investor in Blue Crow Sports, and founder of A‑Rod Media, which produces original content and multiplatform media storytelling.

Outside the boardroom, Rodriguez is an Emmy Award‑winning MLB analyst for Fox Sports, a former judge and investor on ABC’s “Shark Tank” and a mentor to athletes on CNBC’s “Back in the Game.” He co‑hosts “The Deal” with Bloomberg Originals’ Jason Kelly, interviewing leaders across business, entrepreneurship, and sports. Rodriguez also recently completed his seventh year as a guest lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he teaches Strategic Pivoting.

Committed to expanding opportunities for young people, Rodriguez serves on the Board of the Boys & Girls Club of America, the University of Miami Board of Trustees, and is a member of the organization’s National Alumni Hall of Fame. His philanthropic contributions to both the University of Miami and Florida International University have provided dozens of student scholarships.

The Thomas Colloquium on Free Enterprise was established in 1981 through an endowment by Paul J. and Marguerite K. Thomas to promote the growth of the free enterprise system and bring nationally recognized speakers in business, economics, and finance to the region.