www.nicoblocusa.com<\/a>), a product developed in Ireland to help wean smokers off cigarettes.<\/p>\n\u201cWhen I was first approached about NicoBloc, I quickly realized this was something special,\u201d Atherton says. \u201cIt\u2019s a complete departure from what I had done in the past, but I strongly believe this is a product that can save lives.\u201d
\nNicoBloc\u2019s purpose resonated with him \u2013 especially since Atherton\u2019s grandfather, a two-pack-a-day smoker, died of lung cancer in his 60s. \u201cHis death left a pretty strong impression on me,\u201d Atherton says. \u201cI don\u2019t think there is a family that hasn\u2019t been touched by cancer at some generation.\u201d<\/p>\n
He says his mother also was a smoker at one time, but shook free of the habit decades ago. \u201cShe quit the day they came out with the surgeon\u2019s general report on smoking in the early 1960s,\u201d Atherton says. \u201cShe stopped cold turkey.\u201d Not everyone conquers smoking that easily, though. Atherton says that\u2019s where a product like NicoBloc comes in, allowing smokers to wean themselves gradually.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s how it works: A drop or more of the NicoBloc solution is applied to the filter of the cigarette, where the fluid creates a barrier to trap much of the tar and nicotine before they reach the smoker. A smoker using NicoBloc can decrease his or her intake of chemicals from smoking over time, rather than trying to stop smoking all at once.<\/p>\n
Atherton\u2019s professional journey took numerous fascinating turns before he arrived at NicoBloc.<\/p>\n
After college, he began his career in sales with Westinghouse Broadcasting, now CBS, and later became founding manager of Group W Sports Marketing in New York.<\/p>\n
The sports adventures were just getting started. In the 1990s, he helped create the John R. Wooden Classic and John R. Wooden Tradition college basketball events named for the legendary UCLA coach.<\/p>\n
Later, as president of Ginn Sports Entertainment, Atherton launched PGA, LPGA and Champions Tour golf tournaments and then led corporate marketing efforts when the company bought a 3-car NASCAR team.<\/p>\n
\u201cTen years ago NASCAR was peaking in value as a national marketing platform,\u201d he says. \u201cWe bought a race team that wasn\u2019t doing well and rebranded it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Major success nearly came at the 2007 Daytona 500 when Ginn driver Mark Martin led in the final laps, only to be edged out by Kevin Harvick in one of the closest finishes in NASCAR history.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought we were going to Victory Lane,\u201d Atherton says. \u201cBut still, second place in the biggest race of the year and our first with Mark, was quite memorable.\u201d<\/p>\n
More recently, Atherton served as vice president of sports at DIRECTV in New York.<\/p>\n
Now he is back to his entrepreneurial roots with Bloc Enterprises and NicoBloc.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the things in my career that was most rewarding is the work we did with the Wooden Classic and raising money for Special Olympics, which was near and dear to Coach Wooden\u2019s heart,\u201d Atherton says. \u201cIt\u2019s nice when you can do something good for people while doing well at business.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd that\u2019s one of the reasons I became involved with NicoBloc. It\u2019s a business yes, but it\u2019s a business where you can make a positive impact on people\u2019s lives. The more I learned about the product, the more I wanted to be involved. I realized this was something special.\u201d<\/p>\n
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