Kevin Best

Associate Vice President for the University Relations

Kevin is an Associate Vice President for the University Relations marketing team at Virginia Commonwealth University. In this role he serves as a brand champion responsible for shaping and telling bold stories that elevate the brand’s awareness, favorability and perceptions. 

From 2015 to 2020 he led the National Basketball Association’s advertising, creative development, visual identity and strategic media planning/buying functions, which included oversight of NBA, WNBA, G League and 2K League creative and media assets. 

Prior to the NBA, Kevin served as Brand Manager with State Farm Insurance, the largest auto and home insurer in the U.S.  Responsibilities included accountability for marketing, co-op partnerships, and other consumer touch points.  Before serving as Brand Manager, he led marketing for their largest territory -- the Eastern Region, which served 2,000+ agents from North Carolina to Maine.   

Kevin also has deep ad agency experience -- serving as Chief Operating Officer and Director of Account Management for Visionary Marketing Group (VMG), a marketing and events firm formerly located in Baltimore, Maryland.  Before VMG, Kevin worked at several agencies, including GKV Communications, The Neiman Group, Doner, Eisner Communications and The Martin Agency.  

His category experience includes leading integrated marketing campaigns for a variety of brands, including; GEICO Auto Insurance, Maryland’s Office of Tourism and Department of Economic Development, Shoppers Food and Pharmacy, the Maryland Lottery, Maryland’s Transit Administration, Morgan State University, Sylvan Learning Centers, PING Golf Equipment, Bank One, National Penn Bancshares, and the Pennsylvania Department of Health.  

Kevin earned a Master’s Degree in communications from Virginia Commonwealth University, where he graduated summa cum laude and was inducted into the national collegiate academic honor societies of Phi Kappa Phi and Kappa Tau Alpha.  He received his undergraduate degree in communications from the University of Virginia.

Kevin married his college sweetheart, Dani, and has two sons Devin and Dixon.