Marquette University Athletics
Staff Directory
- Title :
- Director of Retail & Licensing
- E-Mail:
- Phone:
- 414-288-1929
- Experience :
- 24th Year
- Alma Mater:
- Carroll University, 1988
Larry Birkett is the Director of Licensing and Retail for Marquette Athletics, leading all retail operations, brand protection, and logo licensing for the Golden Eagles. Since taking the role in July 2022, Birkett has transformed Marquette’s merchandising footprint, driving a 50% increase in licensing revenue within his first two years.
An industry innovator, Birkett was named the 2025 NIL Licensing Director of the Year by Campus Ink. He established Marquette as the first university retailer in Wisconsin to launch an exclusive, co-branded apparel partnership with Lululemon, breaking single-day campus sales records. Furthermore, in 2026, the Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) named the Marquette Spirit Shop the "Best Experiential Retail Program" out of 600+ universities. The national honor recognized Birkett's execution of the RGV Collection (Relationships, Growth, Victory), a unique collaboration with Marquette Men’s Basketball and head coach Shaka Smart.
Now in his 25th year at Marquette, Birkett's career includes over three decades of specialty retail leadership with premier brands like Williams-Sonoma and J.Crew. He holds a bachelor's degree from Carroll University ('88) and is a certified mindfulness meditation teacher through Dharma Moon and Tibet House - the U.S. cultural home of the Dalai Lama.
Birkett resides in Walker’s Point with his husband, Shawn Gulyas, and their two Middle Eastern international rescue cats, Raja and Djinn-Djinn. Outside of his mindfulness practice, he is an avid international traveler and loves hiking the U.S. National Parks.
