The Pistons yesterday formally announced that DENNIS MANNION has accepted the position of Pistons and Palace Sports & Entertainment President. Mannion "takes the reins this week as head of sales, marketing and finance operations" for the team, Palace of Auburn Hills and DTE Energy Music Theatre, along with the Meadow Brook Music Festival (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 9/6). Mannion's sports career has spanned "29 seasons working in four major professional sports," most recently as Dodgers President from '07-10. He also worked for the Ravens from '99-'07, Ascent Sports -- which owned the Nuggets and Avalanche -- from '97-99 and the Phillies from '82-97 (AP, 9/6).
SHUFFLING THE LINEUP: Under Armour has realigned its senior exec team with the news that WAYNE MARINO is retiring as COO. Marino will transition his responsibilities over the next six months, and will remain on the Under Armour exec team. Under Armour has promoted Exec VP/Product KIP FULKS to succeed Marino as COO. In addition, Under Armour named BOD member CHIP ADAMS to the newly created role of Chief Performance Officer and promoted ADAM PEAKE to Senior VP/U.S. Sales (Under Armour).
TALKING BASEBALL: Phillies Assistant GM CHUCK LAMAR, who oversaw the operation of the minor league system, has "tendered his resignation." The Phillies "plan to fill LaMar's role," though GM RUBEN AMARO JR. said that he "has yet to decide on whether to keep the current structure of the front office in place" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 9/7)....The Marlins have hired MARTY SCOTT as VP/Player Development and promoted Scouting Dir STAN MEEK to VP/Scouting. The Marlins have shifted VP/Scouting & Player Development JIM FLEMING to Special Assistant to President of Baseball Operations LARRY BEINFEST, who said that the moves "were not an indictment of Fleming's work" (SUN-SENTINEL.com, 9/6).
EXECS: Disney Consumer Products Chair ANDREW MOONEY yesterday revealed that he "will resign as head of Disney's small but fast-growing consumer products business to pursue a leadership role with another organization and on corporate boards." Mooney joined Walt Disney Co. in '99 "after a couple of decades with Nike" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 9/7)....The Lightning named Wild VP/Customer Sales & Service JAMIE SPENCER Exec VP/Sales (Lightning)....T'Wolves Assistant GM & Dir of Player Personnel TONY RONZONE "has left the organization after one season" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 9/3)....CVC has appointed co-Founder DONALD MACKENZIE as Chair of F1 holding company Delta Topco (London TELEGRAPH, 9/5)....Wyndham Vacation Ownership named former ESPN/ABC Sports Senior Dir of Communications GEORGE MCNEILLY Dir of Corporate Communications, effective immediately (Wyndham)....Former Redskins General Counsel & COO DAVID DONOVAN has rejoined law firm WilmerHale's DC office (WilmerHale).
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