TIM GORTSEMA PROMOTED TO PRESIDENT

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Griffins majority owner and CEO Dan DeVos on Friday announced the promotion of Tim Gortsema to president of the American Hockey League franchise. The announcement was made during a press conference at Van Andel Arena, in conjunction with the introduction of new Griffins head coach Todd Nelson. (Press conference video / photos)

A member of the Griffins’ original 1995 staff, the 47-year-old Gortsema has spent two decades in a leadership role for the organization, most recently serving as the team’s senior vice president of business operations since February 2007. He began his career with DP Fox Sports & Entertainment as director of finance and administration before being named vice president in 1997.

For the first time in franchise history, the presidency will be held by someone other than DeVos, who made the announcement of Gortsema’s promotion at the start of the press conference.

“As the Griffins enter our 20th anniversary season, we are pleased and proud to promote Tim Gortsema to president,” said DeVos. “Tim has been a key member of our management team since the very beginning, and his oversight of the Griffins during the last eight years is a primary reason why we are one of the AHL’s premier franchises. We owe much of our success to Tim and the fantastic team that works with him every day.

“Moreover, Tim has earned the respect of ownership, our team on and off the ice, our fans, our corporate partners, the Detroit Red Wings, his colleagues throughout the AHL, the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority, SMG, and all of our other key stakeholders. He exemplifies our vision, mission and core values – we wouldn’t entrust the title of president to him unless we had complete confidence in his abilities and his leadership,” added DeVos.

Although DeVos is relinquishing the title of team president, he and other members of his management team at DP Fox Ventures will remain actively involved with the Griffins and will continue to work closely with Gortsema and other members of the Griffins’ staff.

In addition to serving as the organization’s primary liaison to the Red Wings, Gortsema will continue to oversee all business-related activities for the Griffins, including finance and administration, sales and marketing, public relations, community relations, arena advertising and Griff's IceHouse. Under his leadership, the Griffins have seen consistent growth and improvement in all aspects of their business operations.

Notably, the Griffins have achieved attendance increases for five straight and eight of the last nine seasons, finishing 2014-15 with an average attendance at Van Andel Arena of 8,082, the team’s largest figure in 15 years. Other accomplishments during Gortsema’s eight-year tenure as senior vice president include:

• Leading the AHL in total attendance (50,939) during the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs ;
• Launching some of the franchise’s most popular and successful promotions ever, including Winning Wednesday and $2 beers and hot dogs, as well as the Pillar Partner program that has garnered partnerships with some of the largest and most prestigious companies in West Michigan;
• Signing a 25-year lease at Van Andel Arena;
• The Griffins leading the AHL in Facebook fans and Instagram followers, while ranking second in Twitter followers.

“The American Hockey League is about developing talent, both on the hockey side as well as the business side,” said DeVos. “We were thrilled to see Jeff Blashill hone his coaching skills in Grand Rapids for three years before taking the head coaching position with the Red Wings, and we’ve obviously seen many talented young players develop in Grand Rapids as well. Similarly, Tim started with us as a young accountant in 1995 and has developed his skills over the years to become president of the Griffins – another great success story.”

Gortsema, who in 2011 received the Griffins’ inaugural Founders “Overtime” Award for his career contributions to the organization, earned his bachelor’s degree from Hope College in Holland and his MBA from Western Michigan University. Prior to joining DP Fox Sports, he was a manager in the audit department at Deloitte & Touche, LLP.

He and his wife, Suzanne, have two daughters, Danielle and Madelyn, and one son, Justin.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Griffins majority owner and CEO Dan DeVos on Friday announced the promotion of Tim Gortsema to president of the American Hockey League franchise. The announcement was made during a press conference at Van Andel Arena, in conjunction with the introduction of new Griffins head coach Todd Nelson. (Press conference video / photos)

A member of the Griffins’ original 1995 staff, the 47-year-old Gortsema has spent two decades in a leadership role for the organization, most recently serving as the team’s senior vice president of business operations since February 2007. He began his career with DP Fox Sports & Entertainment as director of finance and administration before being named vice president in 1997.

For the first time in franchise history, the presidency will be held by someone other than DeVos, who made the announcement of Gortsema’s promotion at the start of the press conference.

“As the Griffins enter our 20th anniversary season, we are pleased and proud to promote Tim Gortsema to president,” said DeVos. “Tim has been a key member of our management team since the very beginning, and his oversight of the Griffins during the last eight years is a primary reason why we are one of the AHL’s premier franchises. We owe much of our success to Tim and the fantastic team that works with him every day.

“Moreover, Tim has earned the respect of ownership, our team on and off the ice, our fans, our corporate partners, the Detroit Red Wings, his colleagues throughout the AHL, the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority, SMG, and all of our other key stakeholders. He exemplifies our vision, mission and core values – we wouldn’t entrust the title of president to him unless we had complete confidence in his abilities and his leadership,” added DeVos.

Although DeVos is relinquishing the title of team president, he and other members of his management team at DP Fox Ventures will remain actively involved with the Griffins and will continue to work closely with Gortsema and other members of the Griffins’ staff.

In addition to serving as the organization’s primary liaison to the Red Wings, Gortsema will continue to oversee all business-related activities for the Griffins, including finance and administration, sales and marketing, public relations, community relations, arena advertising and Griff's IceHouse. Under his leadership, the Griffins have seen consistent growth and improvement in all aspects of their business operations.

Notably, the Griffins have achieved attendance increases for five straight and eight of the last nine seasons, finishing 2014-15 with an average attendance at Van Andel Arena of 8,082, the team’s largest figure in 15 years. Other accomplishments during Gortsema’s eight-year tenure as senior vice president include:

• Leading the AHL in total attendance (50,939) during the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs ;
• Launching some of the franchise’s most popular and successful promotions ever, including Winning Wednesday and $2 beers and hot dogs, as well as the Pillar Partner program that has garnered partnerships with some of the largest and most prestigious companies in West Michigan;
• Signing a 25-year lease at Van Andel Arena;
• The Griffins leading the AHL in Facebook fans and Instagram followers, while ranking second in Twitter followers.

“The American Hockey League is about developing talent, both on the hockey side as well as the business side,” said DeVos. “We were thrilled to see Jeff Blashill hone his coaching skills in Grand Rapids for three years before taking the head coaching position with the Red Wings, and we’ve obviously seen many talented young players develop in Grand Rapids as well. Similarly, Tim started with us as a young accountant in 1995 and has developed his skills over the years to become president of the Griffins – another great success story.”

Gortsema, who in 2011 received the Griffins’ inaugural Founders “Overtime” Award for his career contributions to the organization, earned his bachelor’s degree from Hope College in Holland and his MBA from Western Michigan University. Prior to joining DP Fox Sports, he was a manager in the audit department at Deloitte & Touche, LLP.

He and his wife, Suzanne, have two daughters, Danielle and Madelyn, and one son, Justin.