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The guy just never stops; years and years later Vince McMahon is still at the very top of his game. People that know McMahon on a personal level claim that the guy simply does not sleep or stop. And well, how could you? WWE personnel is made up of so many different areas which include, talent, announcers, interviewers, trainers, officials, creative writers, producers, executives, boards members and so much more. As you can probably see by the list, managing all those positions requires a lot of work.
This article will take a look at some of the jobs the WWE likes to keep behind closed doors. Since its early beginnings, the company likes to leave what goes on behind the scenes a secret. Today, we will expose some of those secrets and take a look at some jobs the WWE keeps quiet. Jobs on this list range from stunt coordinator to WWE recruiter. Here are 13 backstage jobs the WWE keeps quiet. Enjoy!
13) Recruiters
Like any other company, the WWE has its very own unique human resources system. Long time WWE employee Gerald Brisco, is the head of this division down in NXT. Brisco is in charge of recruiting new talent for the company. Gerald has been McMahon’s right hand man for years, and was previously on the road with the company as a road agent and booker during the 90s and into the 2000s. After suffering three strokes, the WWE wanted to position Brisco in a permanent role that didn’t involve constant travel. The company would assign Brisco as a talent scout and recruiter for NXT down in the Florida area.
12) Women’s Producer
It's certainly evident based on WWE programming, the Divas division is going through a massive revolution. Although Triple H gets most of the praise, WWE women’s producer and NXT trainer Sara Amato, should get a lot of praise as well for re-branding the division. Outside of the WWE, Amato began to revolutionize the Divas division way before it caught heat with the WWE. Sara wrestled for Shimmer Women Athletes, an all female wrestling promotion. After gaining years of experience around the world, Sara was brought in as the first ever women’s NXT trainer. Her aggressive in-ring style helped to change the way women’s matches were fought, and her success was quickly evident. Sara was later promoted to NXT assistant head coach following the release of Bill DeMott.
11) Trainers
The WWE’s new developmental facility is certainly something revolutionary in the wrestling business. Along with its jaw-dropping design, the facility is filled with former wrestlers serving as trainers. Matt Bloom (aka Jason Albert) is the current head trainer. Albert was promoted following the release of Bill DeMott. Robbie Brookside is another name you may be familiar with (Brooks was recruited back in 2013). Other trainers consist of Norman Smiley, Steve Keirn and Terry Taylor. Brian Duncan serves as the company’s head athletic trainer.
10) Striking Coach
Yes, that’s right; just recently the WWE brought in a striking coach to work with the talent down in NXT. Former MMA star Seth Petruzelli was recruited by the company on October 21st, 2015. The MMA veteran retired from the sport in June of 2013, following a first round TKO loss. Today, Petruzelli is working with the WWE’s performance center as the first ever striking coach. Striking seems to be a lost art amongst pro wrestlers today, hence the reason why Seth was brought in.
9) Stunt Coordinator
Sorry to disappoint you wrestling fans, but some of our favorite jaw-dropping moments were, more times than not, practiced by a stunt man before it went down. Ellis Edwards is the WWE’s stunt coordinator (he was also formerly employed under the same title with WCW). The stuntman makes sure all big bumps are done properly. Just recently, you can imagine Edwards had something to do with Shane’s flying elbow drop off the top of the cell. According to rumors, Shane was practicing the stunt days before the show. The stunt wasn’t too bad, though. If you look closely, you'll notice the WWE put a protective mat under the commentary booth, so thankfully Shane didn’t fall on the floor following that extraordinary leap of faith.
8) Head Writer
Some of you may remember David Kapoor for his time as Ranjin Singh, the manager and translator of The Great Khali. Today, Kapoor holds a prominent role backstage with the company, a job millions of wrestling fans wish they had as head creative writer for the WWE. In 2011, David traded in his manager gimmick for a job with WWE’s creative team. He later became the head writer for SmackDown. After the WWE’s so called “B” show was enjoying some interesting storylines, Kapoor was later promoted to head writer for the company. David is responsible for the ideas that are generated, however as you know all ideas must pass through Vince before they are given the green light.
7) Program Writer
Along with a head writer, the WWE also has lead writers for each program. Edward Koskey is in charge of RAW. Ryan Ward was the former lead writer for NXT and Total Divas. Ward is responsible for all the success NXT has managed to gather in the last couple of years, and he is regarded as Triple H’s right hand man. Ward grew with the business, starting off as a writer’s assistant in 2009, and eventually moved his way up to the lead writer for NXT in 2013. Just recently, Ward was once again promoted to lead writer for WWE SmackDown. Many within the company believe that Ward will be the lead writer for all of the shows in the very near future.
6) Stage Manager/Camera Operator
Remarkable how much it takes to put on a WWE program every week. The WWE hires so many different employees to make sure the telecast runs smoothly. Those employed include Tom Stewart, the camera operator, Nicholas Daw, the ring manager, Jet Prickett, the stage manager and AJ Patterson who is responsible for the lighting.
This is only a small list of people that help to make the show as smooth as it is week in and week out.
5) Producers
The producer list for the WWE includes a long list of former WWE stars starting with the senior producer, Michael Hayes. The recently inducted Hall of Famer has been with the company since 1995, if you can believe it. His positions have changed during his time from on-screen personality to road agent. Other producers with familiar faces include Joey Mercury, Road Dogg, Finlay, Dean Malenko, Jamie Noble, Arn Anderson and Billy Kidman.
4) Senior Management
Mark Carrano is a name you are probably most familiar with when it comes to those employed in the senior management sector of the company. Carrano has appeared on several episodes of the reality series Total Divas, as Mark is in charge of talent relations. Other positions in senior management include Director of Human Resources, Manager of Communications, Medical Director, General Counsel and Secretary, Senior Vice President and Vice President of Corporate Communications. As you can see there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to running this monster of a business.
3) Ambassadors/Legends
Comparable to other pro sports, the WWE likes to keep some of its retired talent under a legend's contract. With this, the wrestlers can make periodic appearances for the company whether it would be as a spokesperson, on WWE television or for a promotional event. Some of the talent includes Shawn Michaels, Mick Foley, Daniel Bryan, The Boogeyman, Rhyno, X-Pac, Tatanka and a few other legends.
2) Board of Directors and Executives
This is the so called “big boys club” of the WWE, filled with executives and members of the board. Vince McMahon is the Chief Executive Officer with the majority stake, so all decisions must cross the boss before being finalized. The company has nine members on its Board of Directors, but the name you are probably most familiar with is Kevin Dunn. Not only is Dunn a member of the board, he is also an Executive Officer and the Executive Vice President of Television Production. Many look at Dunn as Vince McMahon’s current number two.
1) Chief Branding Officer
Asides from being one of the biggest on-screen villains in company history, Stephanie has a huge title outside of the ring as Chief Branding Officer. Hired in December of 2013, Stephanie’s duties as brand officer is to further enhance the company’s reputation on a global scale. Doing so involves dealing with various advertisers, media personnel and investors. So far, Stephanie has thrived in her new role getting the company some massive deals with the likes of General Mills along with KaBOOM!. The future looks brighter than ever for the billion dollar princess.
Sources: fastcompany.com, bleacherreport.com, cagesideseats.com
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