Spider Spotlight: A Q&A with Ashley Bear, Manager of Collegiate Licensing

Ashley Bear is responsible for licensing the University's logos on products such these shirts, stuffed animals, caps and containers.

BY PHILLIP GRAVELY
Writer/Editor, University Communications

Where are you from originally?
Pittsburgh.

How long have you been in Richmond?
I’ve been in Richmond since ’92. I was transferred here from Boston by Armstrong commercial flooring. They said there was an opportunity for me in Virginia, so I said, “Okay.” I’d never been here and knew nothing about it.

What brought you to the University of Richmond?
I had a baby two years ago, and I did not want to do corporate sales, being on the road 40, 50, 60 hours a week. I wanted to go part time so I could be around my baby.

Tell me what you do.
Collegiate licensing boils down to: protect, promote and profit—the three Ps. Basically what I do is make sure our logos and word marks that are trademarked or registered are used properly so they reflect the integrity of who we are. I make sure the University of Richmond is represented to the general public in the proper way. Plus, there are rules that we have to follow, so we have a leg to stand on if we are ever in a court of law.

When do members of the University community need to contact you?
If they want to do anything that involves a University logo or trademark, call me. Whether they are getting a plaque for somebody, they want to do a T-shirt, they are a start-up club and want to sell stuff, they are doing posters for a benefit—it doesn’t matter. When using anything that says University of Richmond or uses any of our logos or trademarks, please call me. You may or may not need to have it approved. I try to do very, very quick turnarounds.

What is your favorite part of your job?
Probably working with everybody on campus, because there are so many different tangents and avenues of things people want to do. I enjoy seeing the ideas and creativity out there.

What is the most difficult part of your job?
When I have to tell someone “no.”

Why do you have to say “no” sometimes?
There are a variety of reasons from trademark infringement to complying with the minutia that comes with proper use. I have to be gatekeeper. Anything that goes out to the public as far as merchandise reflects on the University. Plus, there are legal issues, especially if we use a tilted spider silhouette. We had a lawsuit with Spyder Active Sports that was settled last summer, and there are some restrictions on how we can use the spider on hats, T-shirts, outerwear, anything like that. It’s very strict.

What are you likely to be doing when you’re not at work?
I like to cook. I spend a lot of time with my    2-year-old son and 9-year-old stepson, as well as maintaining order in the house. And I also have two dogs.

What’s your favorite book?
The Giving Tree. I think it teaches a good lesson: that if you’re a good, giving person, you always get back. I think it also shows that if you’re a taker, you will always lose.

Anything else that’s important for your colleagues to know?
Probably just that I’m accessible. I think a lot of people think, “I’m afraid she’s going to say ‘no.’” But I am accessible and easy to work with. I only say “no” if I have to.