The National Hockey League’s Arizona Coyotes have appointed Xavier Gutierrez as the team’s new president, chief executive, and alternate governor.
Gutierrez has become the first Latino team president and CEO in NHL history. He replaces Ahron Cohen, who left his senior executive positions at the team last month.
Last year, the Coyotes were taken over by Cuban-American billionaire businessman Alex Meruelo, who became the league’s first Hispanic majority owner.
“I am very proud to name Xavier as the first Latino team president and CEO in NHL history,” Meruelo said in a statement. “This is a historic day for the Coyotes and the entire NHL. I have known Xavier for over a decade, and he is a seasoned executive with over 20 years of business and investment experience. We share the same approach to business and his intellect, leadership skills, and strategic mindset made him the clear choice to be our new CEO. He is a leader with tremendous vision and integrity, and I have the utmost confidence that he can help the Coyotes become a world class organization on and off the ice.”
Gutierrez is a veteran business executive, who joins the Coyotes from his position as managing director at Clearlake Capital Group.
He previously worked as the chief investment officer of Meruelo Group, the family office of Coyotes majority owner Meruelo, and president and chief investment officer of Meruelo Investment Partners, the firm’s investment affiliate.
“I am extremely grateful to Mr Meruelo for this opportunity to lead the Coyotes…and honored to become the first Latino team President and CEO in NHL history,” Gutierrez said. “Mr Meruelo and I share the same vision to make the Coyotes a world class organization that is innovative in our efforts to connect with and grow our fan base, continue to be a leader in our community, and develop great relationships with our business partners. We want to build a financially stable and prosperous organization for the long term, and our ultimate goal is to bring a Stanley Cup to our great fans in Arizona. I’m very excited to get started.”
