Suns President Brad Casper Resigns Less Than A Year In His Role

Rowley will replace Casper as Suns President

The Suns Thursday announced that BRAD CASPER has resigned as team President after less than a year on the job. Suns COO JASON ROWLEY replaces Casper as President. LON BABBY will continue serving as President of Basketball Operations for the franchise. Casper, who was hired last October to replace former Suns President RICK WELTS, said in a statement he left the Suns to pursue other business interests. Casper was hired by Suns Owner ROBERT SARVER after working as President & CEO of the Dial Corporation. Rowley was promoted to COO in October '11 after working for four years as general counsel for the team (John Lombardo, SportsBusiness Journal). The Suns said that Casper will "focus on serving on the board of directors of Grand Canyon University" (AP, 7/26). In Phoenix, Paul Coro notes Rowley, who has served as the Suns Exec VP & General Counsel for four years, was "promoted to executive vice president and served as interim president" before Sarver selected Casper to be president. At the time of Casper's selection, Rowley "received another promotion to chief operating officer." Rowley has been "in charge of game operations, broadcasting, legal affairs and arena operations." He was the "corporate counsel for automotive retailer Van Tuyl Group before coming to the Suns." As a lawyer with Snell and Wilmer, he "assisted Sarver's group with its 2004 purchase of the Suns" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 7/27).