The Xs & Os of Success

D.J. Allen has combined his love for business and philanthropy with his passion for sports. He is the Founder and Head Coach of Xs & Os of Success, a leadership development organization which uses the platform of sports and its teachings to help individuals and teams maximize their potential in business and life. The Xs & Os of Success works with a network of national contacts in the sports industry – including coaches, athletes and administrators – to help provide a unique insight into creating successful environments that produce winning results in the field of business – and in life. From keynote addresses to multi-day retreats, Allen and his team produce real results for client.  Allen also consults for various sports-related organizations throughout the nation assisting with communication planning.

Allen is co-author of the book The Xs and Os of Success: A Playbook for Leaders in Business and Life with current University of Oklahoma head basketball coach Lon Kruger, who is the only coach in history to take five different programs to the NCAA Tournament (Oklahoma, UNLV, Illinois, Florida & Kansas State).  Allen also serves as the Vice Chairman of the Dave Rice Foundation, which is led by UNLV head basketball coach Dave Rice. The foundation supports the fight against autism in Nevada. He also volunteers for Coaches vs. Cancer, a national American Cancer Society program.

A native of Southern Nevada, Allen established himself in the business community as the founder of Imagine Communications, a Nevada-based public relations and advertising firm, which was named the 2009 Small Business of the Year by the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce. In 2011, Imagine Communications was named the Best Midsize Agency in the market by the Las Vegas Business Press. In his time with Imagine, Allen was named the SBA’s 2005 Small Businessperson of the Year for Henderson and was honored by In Business Las Vegas (2004), Las Vegas Business Press (2007) and Nevada Business Journal (2010) for being one of the top professionals in Las Vegas under the age of 40. He is currently chairman of the Henderson Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors and is a past recipient of the Chamber’s Outstanding Member of the Year award. Allen is a graduate of the Leadership Henderson Class of 2002 and later served as co-chair of Leadership Henderson’s Steering Committee. He lists being selected by his Leadership Henderson classmates to be their graduation speaker as one of his most-cherished professional accomplishments.

Allen – who earned his master’s in business administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas as well as his bachelor’s degree in communication from UNLV, served on the governor-appointed Blue Ribbon Commission on Education Reform for the state of Nevada representing small business. He is also an active member of the Clark County School District’s School-Community Partnership Advisory Board. He is a founding board member of the Henderson Community Foundation & Friends of the Henderson Libraries. He also serves (or has served) on boards for such organizations as the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada, The Salvation Army of Henderson and the Henderson Cultural Arts and Tourism Commission. And, most importantly, D.J. is married to his beautiful bride of nearly 15 years his best-friend Stacey and has two children, Bailey (12) and Daniel (10). He helps to coach youth basketball, baseball and softball.