Executive Transactions

Holtzman Joins Yankees

In this week's SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, Terry Lefton reports Loyalty Exchange Partners CMO and former NFL Senior VP/Consumer Products MARK HOLTZMAN is "taking a job with the New York Yankees developing the non-baseball revenue side of the business" at the new Yankee Stadium. Sources said that Holtzman will "join the franchise in a position that will promote everything but baseball" at the ballpark, which will host its first regular-season game April 16. One source said that Holtzman's position will be "something akin to director of non-baseball events." Holtzman will report to Yankees Senior VP/Business Development JIM ROSS (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 2/16 issue).

EXECS: Sugar Bowl President RICHARD SMITH this week begins his term as the bowl makes its "final bid presentations to remain part of the BCS for the next four-year cycle" that begins with the '10-11 college bowl season (NOLA.com, 2/12)....Rams VP/PR RICK SMITH will retire after this year's NFL Draft after 14 seasons in the position (Rams)....The City of Vancouver has hired BRUCE TIDBALL as Manager to oversee the Olympic village project (GLOBE & MAIL, 2/13)....IMG promoted VP/Business Operations SAM ZUSSMAN to Managing Dir of IMG Academies (IMG)....Asics America Corporation named LAUREN FIFIELD Assistant Marketing Manager for Running Events, AGGIE BARTLOMOWICZ Assistant Marketing Manager for Direct Marketing Programs and JOHN OHAIL Administrative Assistant for Marketing Communications (Asics)....Churchill Downs Inc. (CDI) Exec VP and TwinSpires.com President VERNON NIVEN is leaving the company for personal reasons in June following the conclusion of the '09 Triple Crown. A search will be conducted to identify a successor (CDI).

Do you have an executive announcement? If so, please send to editorial@sportsbusinessdaily.com.