Baseball
The Cincinnati Reds promoted SHAWN PENDER to vice president of player development and ERIC LEE to senior director of player development. JEFF GRAUPE was moved to senior director of player personnel.
Basketball
The Milwaukee Bucks hired JILL BARRY as director of guest experience; KEN BARSKI as senior broadcast engineer; MATT ROLF as senior network engineer; MALLORY BRIGMAN as manager of private event sales; KATIE GEORGE as sideline and digital reporter; MELANIE RICKS as entertainment teams specialist; and NICK FAYMOVILLE as director of ticket sales for the NBA G League Wisconsin Herd.
Colleges
Seton Hall University promoted JAY JUDGE to senior associate athletic director for development and external operations, KATHY MATTA to senior associate athletic director for recreational services, BOBBY MULLEN to assistant athletic director for digital media and communications, JIM SEMERAD to senior associate athletic director for internal operations, and BRIAN CONNOR to associate athletic director for equipment operations; and hired MATT FORTIN as facilities and operations assistant, VALERIE GOMEZ as associate athletic director for marketing, and KAREN KELLY as associate athletic director for compliance.
Duke University hired TROY AUSTIN as senior associate athletic director for internal affairs. Austin was athletic director at Longwood University.
Florida Atlantic University hired JESSICA POOLE as senior associate athletic director for external affairs. Poole was assistant director of communications at Vanderbilt University.
Furman University promoted TODD DUKE to associate athletic director for facilities and game operations and JODI WELP to assistant athletic director for administration and development.
The University of Illinois at Chicago hired FARRAH MANTHEI as deputy athletic director. Manthei was senior associate athletic director for student services, senior woman administrator and deputy Title IX coordinator for athletics at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
The University of Kansas hired CHRIS FREET as deputy athletic director for external engagement. Freet was senior associate athletic director for external operations and strategic communications at the University of Arkansas.
Southeast Missouri State University promoted NATE SAVERINO to associate athletic director for external affairs, JEFF HONZA to assistant athletic director for strategic communications and ROBERT GREIM to assistant athletic director for compliance and eligibility; and hired SHANNON YATES as associate athletic director and senior woman administrator. Yates was associate athletic director for event management at Valparaiso University.
St. John’s University named MIKE CRAGG athletic director. Cragg was deputy athletic director and chief operating officer at Duke University.
Facilities
Speedway Motorsports promoted BRAUN SMITH to senior vice president of corporate sales and partnerships.
Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park named TERRY EAMES general manager.
Legends promoted COREY BRETON to chief revenue officer for Legends Attractions.
Financial
RedBird Capital Partners hired LYLE AYES as an operating partner. Ayes was head of sports advisory for LionTree.
Football
The National Football League hired TRACI OTEY BLUNT as senior vice president of corporate communications. Blunt was president of the Urban Movie Channel.
Golf
The Century Club of San Diego and the PGA Tour’s Farmers Insurance Open hired NICK SCHLING as director of operations. Schling was director of operations for IMG Golf and the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic.
Hockey
The Los Angeles Kings named DARREN ABBOTT president of minor league affiliates and senior vice president of revenue for AEG Sports; MICHAEL ALTIERI senior vice president of marketing, communications and content; EVA BASSETT director of hockey administration; MICHAEL BRADY senior account executive; JOHN D’ONOFRIO business analyst; ROBYN DUTTON manager of digital and content; ANNMARIE FRANCIS director of human resources; KYLE LAMPIS email coordinator for digital strategies and analytics; AARON LEVALLEY senior vice president of business operations and strategy; ANDREW MASSEY manager of graphic design; NAM MCGRAIL senior vice president of partnership activation; RYAN MILLER vice president of ticket sales and business development; JENNIFER POPE vice president of community relations and team services; JESSE ROGERS account executive; TIM SMITH senior manager of game presentation and events for the Kings and the AHL Ontario Reign; GABY SMOTRYS coordinator of ticket sales and service; EMMA TANI coordinator of marketing and promotions; and JOSH VEILLEUX senior vice president of corporate partnerships.
The Minnesota Wild hired RYAN CARTER to its business staff.
The Ottawa Senators hired PETER MACTAVISH as assistant general manager.
The Pittsburgh Penguins promoted DEVIN BEAHM to senior manager of partnership marketing.
The Tampa Bay Lightning promoted JULIEN BRISEBOIS to vice president, general manager and alternate governor, replacing stEVE YZERMAN, who will become a senior adviser to the general manager.
The ECHL hired DAN LYNCH as vice president of business operations. Lynch was vice president of business operations for the American Hockey League Manchester Monarchs.
Marketing Berk Communications promoted CLARK WILLIAMS to director of sports and entertainment.
ThePostGame promoted ERIC HERD to president and chief executive officer, replacing DAVID KATZ, who will transition to chairman of the board.
The Aspire Group promoted AARON KURZ to manager of sales and service at the University of Connecticut and MICHAEL NEUBERT to senior new sales consultant at the University of Denver; and hired JUJUAN ODOM as John Purdue club consultant and BRYCE MAHONEY as new sales consultant at Purdue University; NICK CIUPAK as new business sales consultant and JAMES BRADBURY as business intelligence coordinator at Georgia Tech; ANTHONY MIELE as group sales and events consultant at the University of Kansas; ANN-PATRICE SCLAFANI as a sales consultant at the University of Connecticut; and CARLOS MUNOZ as sales and service consultant at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Bespoke Sports & Entertainment hired RYAN MILROY as an account coordinator.
Innovative Group hired JAIMA SCHIFFER as director of business development.
Learfield hired BILL PALEN as chief communications and marketing officer. Palen was a senior vice president and partner for FleishmanHillard. Also, LAYNE WERNER was named general manager for Dragons Sports Properties at Drexel University. Werner was general manager for Learfield’s Jasper Sports Properties at Manhattan College.
Octagon Sports and Entertainment Network promoted CINDY PAUL to executive vice president and global chief financial officer.
Media
ABC Entertainment named WILLIAM BURTON senior vice president and head of daytime, sports and syndicated development and production.
Bleacher Report promoted STEFANIE RAPP to senior vice president of revenue strategy.
Fox Deportes hired BENJAMIN SPENCER as director of communications and media relations. Spencer was director of communications for Relevent Sports.
CHRIS WAGNER launched his own media consultancy, OTT Advisors. Wagner is a co-founder of NeuLion.
Fox Sports hired DAVID KATZ as executive vice president of digital. Katz was founder and chief executive officer of ThePostGame.
Multiteam Companies
Vulcan Sports & Entertainment promoted CHRIS MCGOWAN to chief executive officer for the company and CHUCK ARNOLD to president for the Seattle Seahawks. Vulcan President and CEO PETER MCLOUGHLIN is leaving the organization.
Olympics
US Sailing hired PETER GLASS as chief marketing officer.
USA Swimming hired JOEL SHINOFIELD as managing director of sport development. Shinofield was executive director for the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America.
Soccer
FC Dallas promoted ROBERT RARDIN to vice president of marketing, LUIZ MUZZI to vice president of soccer operations and JESSICA TOBIAS to creative manager.
The United Soccer League hired RYAN MADDEN as vice president of communications and public relations. Madden was senior director of communications for the Colorado Rapids.
El Paso USL hired TAYLOR HINES as marketing and media relations coordinator; GEORGE PINON as account executive of sales and service; JOHN WERMELING as sales and service manager; and JACQUELINE MARTINEZ, JESUS MONTALVO JR. and DJ SHUKITT as ticket sales trainees.
Sporting Goods and Apparel
Under Armour hired ALESSANDRO DE PESTEL as chief marketing officer and ANN FUNAI as senior vice president of engineering.
Awards and Boards
The Charlotte Sports Foundation named CHRIS CLUNIE, Davidson College athletic director, and BRAD JONES, BBVA Compass regional president and executive vice president, to its board of directors.
Other
The Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality named DIAHANN BILLINGS-BURFORD chief executive officer.
Stats hired JILL HANSEN as chief financial officer. Hansen was managing director of finance and accounting for Vista Consulting Group.
Wish hired GLENN LEHRMAN as vice president and head of communications. Lehrman was global head of communications for StubHub.
WWE hired BRIAN NURSE as senior vice president, general counsel and secretary. Nurse was vice president, associate general counsel and secretary for Nestlé Waters North America.
Arnold Palmer Enterprises hired JON PODANY as chief executive officer for the company and president of Palmer’s charitable foundation, Arnie’s Army. Podany was chief commercial officer for the LPGA.
Combat league Glory hired joN MARTONE as vice president of global partnerships and LOTHAR RENTSCHLER as senior sales director for the EMEA region.
Innovative Partnerships Group (IPG360) promoted ELENA HAIMSON to chief of staff.
To have your personnel announcements included in the People section, please send information and photos to Brandon McClung at 120 W. Morehead St., Suite 310, Charlotte, NC 28202, or email them to careers@sportsbusinessjournal.com. Electronic photos must be a jpg or tiff file for Macintosh, 2.25 inches wide at 300 dpi. Color only, please.
