Minutes after stepping to the podium to address 150 Temple University students, Philadelphia 76ers CEO Adam Aron told the crowd, “I’m younger than all of you.”

That’s because, five months into pumping up game-night entertainment, cutting ticket prices and increasing the popularity of a team he grew up rooting for, Aron feels like he’s 14 again.

“This is absolutely the most purely, unadulterated joyous thing I’ve ever done,” the 57-year-old said during his Executive in Residence presentation Thursday, March 22, at Temple’s School of Tourism and Hospitality Management.

While Aron joins an impressive list of School of Tourism executives in residence — Eagles President Joe Banner and Hyatt Hotels CEO Mark Hoplamazian to name two — the way his visit developed was a first. It started with a tweet.

Known for his fan engagement, particularly via Twitter, Aron (@SixersCEOAdam) was asked by a student via the social networking site to speak at Temple. Almost instantly, he accepted on one condition: an invitation had to come from a faculty member.

Less than 24 hours later, Gregory L. DeShields, managing director of business development for the School of Tourism and Fox School of Business, tweeted at Aron asking where to send his invite.

That was November 28. Aron arrived on campus less than four months later, a rapid turnaround compared to prior presentations, which can take more than a year to orchestrate.

A Philadelphia native who attended Abington High School, Aron earned his undergraduate degree and MBA from Harvard. From there, he joined Pan American World Airways as a young marketing staffer and helped pioneer frequent flyer programs. After six years at Pan Am, he served in executive positions at Hyatt, United Airlines and Norwegian Cruise Line, among other leading travel companies. Most recently, he spent a decade as CEO of Vail Resorts in Colorado.

In discussing his career trajectory, Aron also relayed 15 tips, including: be interested in other people, have a sense of humor, always take the high road and treasure your reputation.

Approaching the playoffs in a tight Eastern Conference race, Aron said “running a professional NBA team is just a blast.” The new Sixers ownership group, which is led by billionaire Joshua Harris and includes actor Will Smith, bought the team for approximately $280 million.

So how much more intensely does he watch Sixers games compared to his childhood days in Abington? “Two hundred and eighty million times more intensely,” he quipped.

Aron’s visit preceded Temple Night at the Wells Fargo Center for the March 27 game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 7 p.m. game will feature members of Temple’s men’s basketball team, cheerleaders and the university Diamond Band.