Suns President & CEO RICK WELTS "is resigning after running the franchise's business side for nine years," according to Paul Coro of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. Welts, who shared the news with employees in the Suns organization on Friday, said that he is "not leaving for another job but to be in another city." In the past year, Welts "started a new relationship and his partner is in Sacramento." He said, "The most important thing for me is to get my personal and professional lives better aligned. They've probably never been aligned. I'm 58 years old and it's time to do that." Welts said that a primary reason for his decision is the need to "relocate because his partner has joint custody of two children in Sacramento." Welts' last day with the Suns is Thursday, after which he "plans to do speaking engagements and perhaps take an offer to write a book." The Suns are promoting General Counsel JASON ROWLEY to Exec VP, and he “will handle Welts' duties on an interim basis” while the team conducts a national search for Welts’ successor. Suns Managing General Partner ROBERT SARVER said, "At the end of the day, what's most important is that you're happy. As much as I'd like Rick to stay, it's the right move for him and I'm supportive of it" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 9/10).
