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Bobcats Executive Staff Bios
Chairman
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In March 2010, Jordan became the majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, after four years as part of the team’s ownership group and its Managing Member of Basketball Operations. Jordan is the first former player to become the majority owner of an NBA franchise.
Jordan burst onto the national stage as a freshman at the University of North Carolina, leading his team to the NCAA Championship with a dramatic game-winning shot. Following a stellar college career during which he was a two-time College Player of the Year and first team All-America, Jordan was chosen with the third pick of the 1984 NBA Draft. Jordan is a two-time Olympic Gold Medal winner, most famously as a member of the 1992’s “Dream Team.”
After a brief stint as an owner and executive with the Washington Wizards in 2000-01, Jordan returned to the court as a player for the team for the 2001-02 and 2002- 03 seasons before retiring.
Michael Jordan has also proven to be a successful businessman. Since its creation, his Jordan Brand (a division of NIKE) has been an innovator of athletic shoes and apparel. The Jordan Brand has grown to become a market leader under Jordan’s creative design input. As one of the world’s most popular and recognizable figures, Jordan’s endorsement portfolio includes Gatorade, Upper Deck and Hanes, among others. In 2004, Jordan formed Michael Jordan Motorsports as a result of his passion for motorcycle racing. Among Jordan’s other Jordan’s business ventures are several thriving restaurants.
Jordan serves as the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s Chief Wish Ambassador and supports many other charitable causes including the James R. Jordan Boys and Girls Club in Chicago and the Jordan Institute for Families at the University of North Carolina, among others. His annual Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational golf tournament has raised over $5 million for several worthy charities since its inception.
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Vice Chairman
Curtis is the Vice Chairman of the Charlotte Bobcats. In addition, he manages the financial and business affairs of Michael Jordan and his related companies. Prior to working exclusively for Mr. Jordan in 2001, he was an Executive Vice President of SFX Sports and was President of its related financial services affiliate SFX Financial Advisory Management Enterprises. He founded Falk Associates Management Enterprises (FAME) with David Falk in 1992.
In May 1998, FAME merged with SFX Entertainment, the country’s leading producer, promoter and presenter of live entertainment events. Polk was involved in the integration and consolidation of all the sports properties under the SFX Entertainment umbrella into a single business entity.
During the summer of 1996, Polk negotiated 4 of the 5 highest contracts in NBA history. He negotiated Alonzo Mourning’s $105 million contract with the Miami Heat and Dikembe Mutombo’s $56 million contract with the Atlanta Hawks. Polk was the key player in asserting Juwan Howard’s rights during the contract dispute between the NBA and the Miami Heat; he subsequently negotiated Howard’s $105 million deal with the Washington Bullets. He assisted David Falk in negotiating Michael Jordan’s record –setting contracts in 1996 and 1997.
Polk served as Co-Producer of Space Jam, starring Michael Jordan and the Looney Tunes. Space Jam, Warner Bros. first full-length film featuring the Looney Tunes, grossed a record-setting $29.3 million during its opening weekend. Polk also was an Executive Producer of Michael Jordan to the Max, an IMAX format movie released in May, 2000.
A 1981 graduate of the University of Maryland, Polk earned his law degree at the National Law Center at George Washington University in 1988 and served on the Center’s Law Review. Polk was named to the Sporting News; “100 Most Powerful People in Sports” list in 1997 and 1998. He was also selected to the Sports Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” in 1999.
The 51-year old Polk began his career as a certified Public Accountant for Touche Ross and Co. in Washington, DC in 1983.
Polk and his wife Amanda are involved in many Washington charities including Johns Hopkins affiliate, Suburban Hospital, Kids Enjoy Exercise Now (KEEN) and DC Humane Society.
FRED WHITFIELD
President & Chief Operating Officer
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A native of Greensboro, North Carolina, Whitfield brings a portfolio that includes Brand Jordan, a division of Nike, Inc., Nike, Inc., Falk Associates Management Enterprises (F.A.M.E.), Achievements Unlimited Basketball School, HoopTee Celebrity Golf Classic and the Washington Wizards.
Whitfield most recently served as Director of Business and Legal Affairs for Brand Jordan, where he managed endorsements and sports marketing strategy and execution for the elite division of Nike.
From 2000-03, he had his first tenure with an NBA team when Whitfield served as Director of Player Personnel and Assistant Legal Counsel for the Washington Wizards. While there he was responsible for the team’s salary cap administration and contractual issues.
Prior to that position, Whitfield served as director of player development for Nike Basketball, where he was responsible for negotiating endorsement contracts and overseeing all business relationships for over 150 NBA players. His start in sports began with F.A.M.E. – one of the industry’s most prestigious sports management firms – as Director of the Carolinas Region, during which time he lived in Charlotte.
True to his Carolina roots, the Southeast Guilford High School graduate is the Founder and Director of Achievements Unlimited Basketball School, a camp in Greensboro started in 1985 that combines teaching fundamental basketball skills, stressing the importance of academics and living a life free of substance abuse.
A 1980 graduate of Campbell University, Whitfield was an all-conference basketball player and entered the school’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1995. He earned a B.B.A. (Economics) and then completed his M.B.A. (Marketing) at Campbell in marketing while serving as Assistant Basketball Coach for the Camels.
From there, he graduated with a Juris Doctor degree from North Carolina Central School of Law where he served as Student Bar Association President. He established a private law practice in Greensboro prior to joining F.A.M.E.
Whitfield and his wife, Mary, live in Charlotte.
BILL DUFFY
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial and Administrative Officer
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Duffy began his career in the sports industry as Treasurer of the Miami Dolphins and Robbie Stadium Corp. From there he was named Director of Compliance for the NFL Management Council before returning to the team side as Vice President of Business Operations and Chief Financial Officer for the San Francisco 49’ers, and Executive Vice President of Administration for the Buffalo Bills. After twelve years in the NFL, Duffy was named Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for the NHL’s Florida Panthers and then for Atlanta Spirit, LLC which owns and operates the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers, NBA’s Atlanta Hawks and Philips Arena in downtown Atlanta. While in Atlanta Duffy became a Principal in The Aspire Group, a global sports and entertainment firm with clients in the NBA, NHL, Canadian Football League, Major League Baseball and National Collegiate Athletic Association. Through The Aspire Group, Duffy served as a consultant and interim Chief Financial Officer at BSE for seventeen months.
Duffy earned an undergraduate degree from Princeton University and a Master's degree from New York University. He is also a Certified Public Accountant. Duffy and his wife, Cathryn, have two daughters, Erin and Caitlin.
PETE GUELLI
Executive Vice President and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer
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With 20 years experience in sales and marketing and eleven with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills, Guelli is uniquely suited to handle the dual role with the Bobcats. In Buffalo, Guelli oversaw team revenue generating properties and the continued regionalization of the organization’s business strategies while spearheading the development of the team’s business model in Toronto. He was responsible for the organization’s business-to-business sales operations including sponsorships, general advertising, luxury suites and stadium events, and the sales of all team-controlled inventory for television, radio and internet.
A native of Rochester, NY and graduate of SUNY Brockport, Guelli currently resides in South Charlotte with his wife, Patty, and sons, Gunner and Grayson.
SETH BENNETT
Vice President of Market Development
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Prior to joining the organization, Bennett was the Owner and Founding Principal of The Event Authority, where he produced 400 live events and negotiated corporate partner contributions for college and high school athletic programs and various entertainment events. He also established a national client and sponsorship base that included Nike, Burger King and the Kings of the Courts national tour, Brand Jordan, Geico, FBR Inc., Foot Locker, Nationwide Insurance, ALLTEL and Boost Mobile.
Bennett has produced nine Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Football Classics; the Jordan Brand All-American Basketball Classic, held at Madison Square Garden in New York City; and the corporate entertainment for the widely popular PGA Tour FBR Open in Phoenix. Bennett also produced the HoopTee Celebrity Golf Classic and major college football games featuring the University of Southern California and Virginia Tech.
Prior to his jump into entrepreneurship, Bennett spent eight years in intercollegiate athletic marketing, promotions, event/game operations and advertising at North Carolina A&T State University and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Bennett, who is a member of the board of directors of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Charlotte, was a football player at N.C. A&T and earned his B.A. in Public Relations in 1993. Bennett and his wife, Michelle, have one son, Seth Michael.
FLAVIL HAMPSTEN
Vice President of Ticket Sales and Database Marketing
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Prior to joining the Bobcats, Hampsten served as a Director of Team Marketing and Business Operations at the National Basketball Association (NBA) in New York. While at the league office, he was responsible for analyzing the business operations and identifying areas of strengths and opportunities for a select number of NBA, WNBA, and NBA D-League teams. In doing this, he was able to provide assistance in maximizing all areas of the business, including season ticket sales, group ticket sales and retention.
Hampsten has also served as the Vice President of Sales and Service for the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL) and Jobing.com Arena. During his tenure with the Coyotes, he oversaw a department that set every franchise record in ticket sales including season tickets, renewal rates, luxury suites, group tickets and individual tickets sold. He was able to achieve a 99% growth in full season tickets with the engineering and construction of a dynamic direct marketing department focused on sales research, customer segmentation, and direct marketing activities.
A graduate of Mount Union College, he also earned an MBA in Marketing from Arizona State University. Hampsten currently resides in Charlotte with his wife Ashlee and their daughter Brooklyn.
ED LEWIS
Vice President of Government Relations
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Before joining the organization, Lewis was Vice President of Corporate Affairs for BET on Jazz: The Jazz Channel. Lewis also worked in the cable industry for Telecommunications, Inc. (TCI); District Cablevision, Inc; and District Cable Advertising. Lewis joined BET Networks in 1993 and served roles in network operations, consumer affairs and marketing.
Lewis is on the boards of directors at Discovery Place and WTVI Public Television, and serves on the advisory boards of the Mint Museum and the Mint Museum of Craft and Design. He is also a member of the Charlotte Rotary, as well as a member of the Business Committee on Higher Education for the Institute for Emerging Issues.
Lewis earned his B.A. from Howard University and an M.A. from Occidental College. He has four children -- Todd, Kimberly, Derek and Barry -- and five grandchildren.
KAY LOWERY
Vice President of Human Resources
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Before joining the Bobcats she served as Human Resources Manager for J.D. Edwards in Charlotte, where she facilitated the human resources function during the company’s acquisition of YOUcentric. She was part of YOUcentric during that company’s beginning and implemented the company’s benefits and human resources policies.
Lowery previously worked for Berenfield Containers as human resources administrator and also worked for the Daily Herald Newspaper’s human resources department in suburban Chicago after graduating from the University of Iowa. She holds a professional human resources certification.
MICHAEL WANDELL
Vice President of Corporate Partnerships
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Wandell started his NBA career with the Indiana Pacers before joining the Phoenix Suns. During his tenure in Phoenix, Wandell made history when he signed LifeLock to a groundbreaking partnership that featured the first advertising space on WNBA uniforms. The jersey deal was the largest in WNBA history. Wandell also developed the first ever hybrid-marketing partnership in NBA history with Verve Energy Drink, and was the first to create a partnership between an NBA franchise and a major record label (Epic Records). Wandell also sold the naming rights to the first-ever modern outdoor NBA game, the AutoTrader.com Open, in Indian Wells, CA.
A native of Champaign, IL, Wandell graduated from Northwestern University. Prior to his career in professional sports, Wandell lived in Los Angeles and worked in the new media space overseeing all music content for MXG Media.
