The Florida Panthers have hired MICHAEL WHITE from Amazon-owned robotaxi company Zoox as their new president of business operations. White, who previously spent 11 years at Disney, replaces MATT CALDWELL, who left the organization last summer to become CEO of the T’Wolves and Lynx. Other high-level departures in recent months include CRO SHAWN THORNTON (to the Hawks), COO BRYCE HOLLWEG (to janitorial services company CJS Global), CFO JAMES SUH (to the Spurs) and CRO MARK ZARTHAR, who has yet to take a new role (Alex Silverman, SBJ).
USL Deputy CEO and Chief Real Estate Officer JUSTIN PAPADAKIS has departed the organization after more than a decade in senior leadership roles. USL confirmed Papadakis’ departure to Sports Business Journal, stating he left the organization last week, but declined further comment. Multiple sources said Papadakis intends to pursue opportunities outside the league more directly aligned with his focus on real estate (Alex Silverman, SBJ).
Former N.Y. Jets personnel exec GREG NEJMEH is set to be named president of Accelerate Sports Ventures. Accelerate works with clients like Penn State and Boston College around rev share infrastructure, revenue generation and strategic and corporate partnerships (Ben Portnoy, SBJ).
LOVB L.A. named PayPal VP & Head of Channel Partnerships ANA MENDY President. Mendy spent nearly five years with PayPal in leading roles after serving 13 years as a Partner with McKinsey & Company (LOVB L.A.).
The College Football Playoff announced that recently retired football coach GUS MALZAHN “will join former Cal head coach JEFF TEDFORD on the College Football Playoff selection committee this spring.” Univ. of Arkansas AD HUNTER YURACHEK “will return as the committee chair for the second season,” and Univ. of Louisiana-Lafayette AD BRYAN MAGGARD will also “join the group.” The three new committee members will “serve three-year terms and replace outgoing members” College Football HOF coach CHRIS AULT, former longtime collegiate administrator JEFF LONG and Miami Univ. (Ohio) AD DAVID SAYLER, whose terms have expired (ESPN.com, 3/30).
ALEXIS WILLIAMS will return to the Univ. of Houston as its first Chief Branding Officer, following nearly six years at Colorado as Senior Associate AD/External Operations. Williams had spent 18 months as Associate AD/Ticket Sales and Operations at UH before her second stint at Colorado (Univ. of Houston).
The Univ. of North Texas named MIKAELA SULLIVAN Senior Associate AD/External Operations. Sullivan most recently worked at SMU as Associate AD/Strategic Marketing and Fan Experience (Univ. of North Texas).
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