Hornets president and vice chairman Fred Whitfield stepping down after 17 seasons for well being causes

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte Hornets president and vice chairman Fred Whitfield is stepping down from his place and departing the group attributable to well being causes after greater than 17 years main the workforce’s enterprise operations.

“Over the last 18 months I have successfully battled a serious case of throat cancer,” the 65-year-old Whitfield stated in an announcement by the workforce. “I’ve also been focused on supporting my mother, who has her own health issues.”

Whitfield joined then-majority proprietor Michael Jordan’s Bobcats in July 2006, serving as president and chief working officer for 12 years earlier than being promoted.

He oversaw progress within the group, together with the identify change from Bobcats again to the Hornets in 2014, the rebranding of Spectrum Center in 2016 and the launch of the Greensboro Swarm within the NBA G League. The group additionally secured renovations and a lease extension for Spectrum Center and reached long-term agreements with Ticketmaster to function the sector’s ticketing supplier and Live Nation to e-book leisure.

The workforce additionally reached a TV broadcast take care of FOX Sports below Whitfield.

Under Whitfield, the Spectrum Center hosted the 2012 Democratic National Convention, 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend, 2019 ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament and the Jumpman Invitational, which options the North Carolina, Oklahoma, Florida and Michigan males’s and girls’s basketball groups.

“We thank Fred for all he has done for our organization and for the role he has played in helping get our ownership group up to speed over the last several months,” Hornets co-owners Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin stated in an announcement. “His experience, knowledge and relationships in this industry, league and community have been invaluable to our franchise. We appreciate his hard work and dedication and wish him all the best.”