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| Alouettes hire former Canadiens exec as President & CEO |
The CFL Montreal Alouettes have hired
RAY LALONDE
as President & CEO. Most recently, Lalonde was VP and Chief Marketing & Sales Officer for the Canadiens (Alouettes). In Montreal, Herb Zurkowsky noted Lalonde joins the Alouettes two months after he "basically was fired" by Canadiens Owner
GEOFF MOLSON
. Lalonde said, "This is a real proud moment to be leading the Als. Today's the realization of an important dream for me. I'm excited about the present and future. The Als have been incredible as a franchise." Zurkowsky noted Lalonde has had an "extensive, and successful, career in sports" that also includes an eight-year stint working for the NBA in Europe. During his tenure with the Canadiens, Bell Centre was "always sold out, including the luxury suites, even when the on-ice product stank." He is "considered a sharp salesman with strong relationships in the business community." Lalonde said "all the right things at his introductory news conference" last week (Montreal GAZETTE, 3/17). Lalonde succeeds
LARY SMITH
, who announced his resignation last November. It is believed that Lalonde has "signed a personal services contract" with Alouettes Owner
ROBERT WETENHALL
. That deal, paying an estimated annual salary of C$500,000, is "likely open for review and extension on a yearly basis" (MONTREALGAZETTE.com, 3/16).
