The scene was an A & W Rootbeer commercial. Lomas Brown of the Detroit Lions was there, but the Root Bear mascot supposed to be sporting the bear outfit was not. The bear was needed for the commercial so in stepped sports agent Mike Zehnder.
That day is forever commemorated on the walls of Zehnder’s Independence Township home. This favorite photo features Brown, Zehnder’s son Steven and a big brown bear with a cartoonish grin waving towards the camera.
Before joining L. Brooks Patterson’s staff 13 years ago, Zehnder was busy working as a sports agent running Celebrities Inc, Media and Sports Personalities. He arranged personal appearances and product endorsements for major sports stars in the Detroit area.
His mementos from 12 years in the lucrative business cover the walls, hundreds of pictures with personal messages from athletes ? a miniature hall of fame and who’s who in professional sports from the 70’s and 80’s.
‘These are near and dear to my heart. The comments written on them are mementos,? said Zehnder, grabbing the photo from the A&W commercial with him dressed as the bear.
‘This is my favorite. I always say, ‘This is the best picture I’ve ever had taken,?? he laughed.
Zehnder highlights the opportunity to arrange Detroit Tiger charity basketball games during the off-season around 1980 as an event that helped spur on his career as an agent.
‘It kind of evolved from that,? said Zehnder, who was also a manufacturer’s representative for sporting goods at the time. ‘If you do good for one athlete, they have a ton of teammates and it’s all word of mouth. We really rock and rolled. We had some good stuff and a lot of endorsements.?
Having representing approximately 50-60 athletes and celebrities, Zehnder cited the good natured personalities as the highlight of his career.
‘Vinnie Johnson without a question of the doubt is one of the finest human beings I ever met in my life,? said Zehnder, who noted in general hockey players seemed to be the most down to earth of the athletes.
Through the years, Zehnder’s friendships brought him up close and personal with athletes from other cities including one of Major League Baseball’s biggest legends.
On a day in the 70’s, during a Detroit Tiger baseball game, one of Zehnder’s friends who managed the visiting team’s locker room asked him if he could drive Hank Aaron to the airport immediately following the game. Aaron had a business engagement and needed to go in another direction than the team.
On that particular day, Zehnder drove his wife’s car ? an orange AMC Gremlin ? to the park. Pulling up to the door near where the visitors come out, he encountered a police officer directing traffic. The officer told him to move.
‘I said I’m going to tell you something. If you hold the traffic up and get me over to that curb and if Hank Aaron doesn’t come out and get in this car, give me whatever number of tickets,? said Zehnder.
After the officer let Zehnder drive over and park, baseball’s leading home run hitter came out looking for his ride.
‘He must of been looking for a Cadillac or a limousine or something. He sure wasn’t looking for an orange Gremlin. So I have the window done and I’m yelling ‘Hank, Hank.?
According to Zehnder, Aaron finally saw him and ran over, out racing fans who recognized the legendary slugger and swarmed to meet him.
‘The cop looked at me amazed and I drove away.?
Zehnder battled through the post game traffic getting Aaron to the airport. Along the way Aaron saw the book Zehnder brought for the occasion, ‘Hank Aaron: One For The Record,? in his car. After the ride, Aaron signed the book, ?’To Mike, Thanks for a great ride. Hank Aaron.??
While Zehnder continued to work as an agent with success, Patterson, a long-time friend approached him to come aboard the Oakland County Executive’s office in the early 90’s.
‘What I miss the most is the satisfaction of the deal. I put together something. Sure I made some bucks, but everyone made out well in what I did,? said Zehnder.
‘I left that to join Brooks which was an opportunity of a lifetime. Believe me, there’s no regrets. Certainly the money’s a whole lot different. But the fact is there’s no regrets.?
Working for Patterson, Zehnder is the Director of Public services. He handles a wide range of divisions from veteran’s services to animal control.
‘Of all the things we’ve accomplished since Brooks? administration has been in place, I’m most proud of bringing the veterans? cemetery to Oakland County,? said Zehnder, referring to Great Lakes National Cemetery. ‘That became my passion getting them to select that site, that’s my top accomplishment. No doubt that’s where I’ll be buried.?
The cemetery takes on great importance for Zehnder who spent six years in the Marine Corps from approximately 1963-1969.
‘The Corps is the foundation of my personal life. I learned a lot of things in the Corps. God knows where I’d be or what I’d be doing if I hadn’t joined the Corp,? said Zehnder, explaining he joined to resolve personal issues in his life.
He currently stays involved with the Marines as a member of the Marine Corps Reserve Officers Association.
While proud of bringing the cemetery, Zehnder credits the hard-working managers who focus on each division in his department as key.
Prior to working as a sports agent, Zehnder was involved in banking after serving in the military and earning a degree in marketing from the University of Maryland.
Even though Zehnder spends his days working public services, he still maintains relations with many of his friends gained in the sports world.
Those connections are still paying off as a corner of his room is filled with memorabilia ranging from a signed Super Bowl XL MVP Hines Ward photograph to a Kid Rock picture for a couple of fund-raisers.
Even though lunch guests from week to week may include Mickey Redmond and Denny McClain, Zehnder enjoys getting away to property up north with his wife of over 30 years Ellen. The Zehnders share two sons, Tom and Steven, and three grandchildren.