The USOPC named VIVEK MURTHY to its BOD. Murthy was previously a member of the USOPC board, having been named in Feb. 2020 before stepping down in March 2021 to reassume the role of Surgeon General he held previously from 2014-2017 (USOPC).
BYU AD TOM HOLMOE “will retire this summer” at the end of the 2024-25 athletic season. Holmoe took charge of BYU’s athletics department in 2005 and “guided the university’s football program through a decade of independence and into the Big 12” (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 2/11).
The Sounders and NWSL Reign have hired Hang Media Head of Marketing LIZ POERNER as their VP/Partnership Marketing. She will report to CRO COURTNEY CARTER and be responsible for developing and executing strategic marketing campaigns and activations. Prior to Hang Media, Poerner worked at TEGNA, Hulu and ESPN (Alex Silverman, SBJ).
Major League Cricket named JOHNNY GRAVE CEO of the professional Twenty20 cricket league in the U.S. Grave served as CEO of Cricket West Indies for the past seven years. He also served as Commercial Dir at the Professional Cricketers’ Association in England for 10 years (MLC).
Team Penske named Indianapolis Motor Speedway President DOUG BOLES to “the same position at IndyCar,” replacing JAY FRYE -- who leaves the organization after 10 years in the role. Boles has served as president of IMS since 2013. The moves come two weeks after TIM CINDRIC, president of Team Penske and ROGER PENSKE’s longtime right-hand man on competition, stepped back as the overall leader of the organization but remained president of the IndyCar program. Boles will report to Penske Entertainment President & CEO MARK MILES. Other changes included the promotion of MARK SIBLA to SVP/IndyCar Competition & Operations; KYLE NOVAK to IndyCar VP/Officiating & Race Control; and LOUIS KISSINGER to GM of Indianapolis Motor Speedway Operations (AP, 2/11). ALEX DAMRON, previously the VP/Corporate Communications for Penske Entertainment, has additionally taken on the role of the sport’s CMO (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 2/11).
YES Network promoted VP/Production JARED BOSHNACK to Exec Producer & VP/Production. Exec Producer JOHN J. “FLIP” FILIPPELLI has transitioned to Senior Advisor. Boshnack will oversee all aspects of production at YES. Filippelli will counsel YES President & CEO JON LITNER and YES Chair & Yankees President RANDY LEVINE on all aspects of YES’ production and programming (YES Network).
Athletes Unlimited named VANESSA TAVERAS Chief Partnerships Officer. In the newly created position, Taveras will report to CEO & co-founder JON PATRICOF. Taveras, a 2020 SBJ Game Changer honoree, most recently served as VP/Strategic Partnerships for IMG Academy. Prior to that, Taveras served as SVP/Properties at CSM Sport & Entertainment. Athletes Unlimited also promoted SVP/Broadcasting CHERI KEMPF to Chief Broadcast Officer, also reporting to Patricof (Athletes Unlimited).
Learfield promoted Associate GM GREG GASTON to General Manager of Tiger Sports Properties. He will work closely with Memphis SVP & AD ED SCOTT and the entire athletics administration on all aspects of the relationship between Learfield and Memphis Athletics. Gaston first joined TSP as Account Executive in August 2013 (Learfield).
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