Executive Transactions

SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL’s Mullen & Kaplan cite sources as saying that RICHARD FITZGERALD, the IMG exec handling the day-to-day relationship with Wimbledon, will “leave the agency at the end of the year to run the English Premier League team Aston Villa.” The departure marks the “third time in as many years” that IMG’s senior Wimbledon exec has left the company, “sparking concern within [IMG] whether the tennis tournament could look elsewhere for commercial support.” IMG said that it would appoint IAN TODD, who is returning to the company in January as IMG Int’l President, as its key contact for Wimbledon. Sources said that Todd “has a strong relationship with Wimbledon officials” (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 11/27 issue).

EXECS: ABC golf producer BRANDT PACKER is returning to The Golf Channel to produce Champions Tour events (GOLF WORLD, 11/24 issue)....The Brewers named Tempe Diablo Stadium Manager WIL GORMAN Senior Dir of Brewers Enterprises, a newly-created division that will oversee non-baseball events and revenue for Miller Park (Brewers)....The Phillies named 76ers PR Coordinator KEVIN GREGG Media Relations Assistant and shifted Dir of Media Relations LEIGH TOBIN to Dir of PR (Phillies)....USA Hockey named USA Boxing Dir of Events & Marketing ANTHONY BARTKOWSKI Manager of Sponsor Services (USA Hockey)....Seattle Mayor GREG NICKELS has nominated acting Seattle Center Dir ROBERT NELLAMS for the permanent position, subject to City Council approval. Nellams would replace VIRGINIA ANDERSON, who retired earlier this year (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 11/23).

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