Monday, July 18, 2016

GLENDALE, ARIZONA --- Arizona Coyotes President and CEO Anthony LeBlanc announced today that the Coyotes have named Brian Sandy as President of the Tucson Roadrunners. Sandy joins the Coyotes organization from Learfield Sports, where he served as the General Manager overseeing all corporate partnership efforts for Sacramento State’s 21 NCAA sports programs.

Brian Sandy

“We are thrilled to have Brian join us as the President of the Tucson Roadrunners,” said LeBlanc. “Brian is an experienced sales and marketing executive who has an exemplary track record of success in the sports industry. He is very familiar with the Tucson market and has previous experience running professional hockey franchises. He’s the perfect fit for us.”

Prior to joining Sacramento State Athletics, Sandy served as the President of the Portland Thunder’s Arena Football League team (2014-15). Sandy directed all operations for the startup AFL franchise. In 2013-14, Sandy was the President and Alternate Governor for the Stockton Thunder (ECHL) hockey team. While with both organizations, Sandy oversaw all sales, client services, marketing, branding, advertising, promotions, event management, broadcasting, community and media relations, hockey/football operations, merchandise, legal, accounting and P&L management, human resources management, venue lease administration and league compliance.

“I'm truly honored to return to Tucson and to join the Coyotes organization,” said Sandy. “I look forward to helping establish the Roadrunners brand, both on the ice and within the community. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

In 2013, Sandy was named as the Associate General Manager for the University of Arizona Athletics/IMG College. Sandy orchestrated multi-million dollar sales, service and marketing efforts for 19 University of Arizona NCAA sports programs including the Wildcats hockey and lacrosse teams, as well as the Arizona Alumni Association.

Before working for the University of Arizona, Sandy spent 12 years with the Portland Trail Blazers organization in various sales, operations and project manager positions. He managed traditional and non-traditional business lines for the sports and entertainment organization whose holdings included the four major league properties (NBA, NFL, MLS, WNBA), three sports venues, an advertising agency and an integrated media company.

From 2005-2011, Sandy served as the Chief Marketing Officer/Senior Vice President of Business Operations for the Tri-City Americans, directing all day-to-day business operations for the professional Western Hockey League (WHL) franchise. From 2000-2002, he served as the Chief Marketing Officer for the Portland Timbers, the Vice President of Sales for the Portland Beavers and the General Manager for the Tri-City Dust Devils. Sandy designed, built and managed sales and marketing infrastructure supporting three new sports franchises and two venues in a startup environment, including recruitment, hiring, training, management and leadership of employees.

The Coyotes also announced today that the organization has hired three additional personnel for the Tucson Roadrunners senior management team. Tom Callahan will serve as the Tucson Roadrunners’ Director of Media Relations/Radio Play-by-Play Announcer; Mark Iralson has been added as the club’s Director of Game Operations and Bob Hoffman will be the Director of Sales.

Callahan joins the Roadrunners from the Indiana Fuel (ECHL) where he served as the team’s Director of Communications and Radio Play-by-Play Announcer. Prior to working for the Fuel, Tom spent five seasons (2008-2013) as the Radio Play-by-Play Announcer for the Nashville Predators (NHL). While with Nashville, Callahan’s responsibilities included the management of the entire radio network and visible roles on the team’s website and Predators TV. Callahan voiced all television advertising, web features and several radio commercials and produced game night updates and managed the highlight distribution for the Predators radio network affiliates. Callahan also was the Play-by-Play voice of Nashville FC for one season and previously served as the Director of Communications for the Peoria Rivermen (AHL) and the Director of Broadcasting and Public Relations for the Augusta Lynx (ECHL).

Iralson comes to the Roadrunners with several years of marketing and game presentation experience. He oversaw the Arizona Coyotes’ game operations in 2014 and 2005 and served as the Marketing and Game Operations Manager for the Arizona Diamondbacks (MLB) from 2003-2005. He also was the Game Operations and Promotional Manager for the Nashville Predators (NHL) from 1998-2003 and Chicago Wolves (IHL) from 1994-1998, and served as a game operations consultant to the San Diego Gulls (AHL) and Iowa Wild (AHL) in 2015-16.

Hoffman previously served as the Executive Vice President of the Quad City Mallards Hockey Club (ECHL). While with the Mallards, he oversaw corporate marketing and sponsorships and assisted with many of the daily team operations. Prior to working for Quad City, Hoffman was the Director of Operations/Communications for the Central Hockey League (CHL) from 2007-2014. He also served as the Assistant General Manager for the Youngstown Steelhounds (CHL) from 2005-2007 and was the Vice President of Communications for the Utah Grizzlies (AHL) from 2002-2005.