Oak View Group promoted KATIE HAREL to Managing Dir/OVG Hospitality. Harel will continue working from the London office and will report to OVG Hospitality President KENNETH GABER. Harel has served as VP/Marketing at OVG International since 2024 (Oak View Group).
Publicis Groupe named BROOKE FAW SVP/Strategic Alliances and Partnerships for Publicis Sports. Faw, a 2025 SBJ Game Changers honoree, spent nearly 12 years with Bespoke Sports & Entertainment, most recently as VP/Client Experiences (SBJ).
Canucks President of Hockey Operations JIM RUTHERFORD revealed in a “surprise announcement” on Tuesday that he will “step down from his role” following next month’s NHL Draft. The 77-year-old said that he will “stay with the team as an adviser and alternate governor” (CP, 5/5).
The PGA Tour announced that The Players Championship Exec Dir LEE SMITH will now be VP of the TPC Sawgrass and The Players, “combining the leadership of both course and event.” TPC GM MATT BOROCZ and Dir/Golf BRIAN RIDDLE will “remain in their positions.” The Tour will “hire a Players tournament director who will report to Smith and handle day-to-day tournament operations, while Smith will focus on overall strategy, alignment and performance” (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 5/6).
The Maryland Stadium Authority’s BOD “unanimously approved” MANERVIA RIDDICK as interim exec director, replacing MICHAEL FRENZ, who retired April 30 (BALTIMORE SUN, 5/5).
The Univ. of Illinois named TOM MICHAEL Deputy AD. Michael is returning to the school after 12 years as AD at Eastern Illinois. Prior to his tenure at EIU, Michael spent 18 years in various roles at Illinois. Michael assumes the Deputy AD position that has been vacant since January following ROGER DENNY‘s hiring as AD at Univ. of Oklahoma (Univ. of Illinois).
Eastern Illinois Univ. named AUSTIN CHENEY as acting AD. Cheney will also chair the national search for the school’s next AD, which is set to begin later this month (EIU).
UNLV has approved a “four-year contract extension” for AD ERICK HARPER, who has run the athletics department since January 2022 (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 5/5).
The Sports Facilities Companies named AMANDA SHANK Partner & EVP after more than nine years with Unrivaled Sports and its portfolio company Ripken Baseball. Shank most recently served as EVP/Strategic Initiatives at Unrivaled Sports. Shank previously spent more than 11 years with the NFLPA in licensing, business development, player services, and player marketing roles (The Sports Facilities Companies).
Novig elevated Chief of Staff TOREY KORSUNSKY to Chief Business Officer (Novig).
Marquee Development named Industrial Outdoor Ventures CFO RAY KEELER SVP & CFO (Marquee Development).
Excel Sports Management named JONAH MANHEIM Manager, Marketing Solutions, Properties; AMBER RUSSELL Coordinator, Field/Experiential, Brand Marketing; and JACOB COOLEY Manager, Corporate Development and Strategy (Excel).
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