The Sydney Kings Board today announced the appointment of Mr David Wolf as the organisation's new General Manger.
Executive Director, Stephen Dunn, welcomed David to the Sydney Kings and said that in announcing his appointment, he is confident the organisation and the fans of the iconic basketball brand will be impressed with his credentials, passion, and ability.
"David had been involved with the Sydney Kings in one role or another for the better part of 16 years and, when placed alongside his extensive corporate experience, was a natural choice for us when appointing this key commercial leadership position." Stephen said
"He is an extremely well-credentialed marketing executive with more than 15 years experience in senior management and leadership positions in Australia, North America, and Asia.David has a proven management track-record in creating measurable and memorable brand and marketing campaigns, negotiating substantial sponsorship investment, and enhancing the corporate reputation of every major company with which he has worked," Stephen said.
"David's global experience, and his previous first hand knowledge of conducting sponsorship negotiations with the NBL, NRL and the Commonwealth Games among many others, as well as his standing in the Australian business community, will serve the Sydney Kings' interests very well as we enter our second season back in the NBL," he added.
"David is one of those rare individuals who has been able to translate a childhood passion into a career. One of David's greatest achievements, and one that all basketball fans will appreciate, was his negotiation of the NBL naming rights sponsorship with Philips. This commitment brought stability to the game and substantial knock-on sponsorship to the Sydney Kings.
Speaking about his appointment, David said he that he is enthusiastic about starting with the Sydney Kings and continuing where he left off many years ago.
"In the mid 90s, I was mentored by the doyen of the Sydney Kings, Mike Wrublewski. I was also a volunteer with the Kings for 14 seasons, having performed every possible game-night job there is to do, including being Rodney O's spotter, to working the media bench, liaising with the visiting teams, and greeting corporate guests. I loved every minute of it. The opportunity to merge this collective experience with my corporate career and help drive the Sydney Kings to new heights is extremely exciting, and I am looking forward to getting started" David said.
"I have fond childhood memories of watching Leon Trimmingham in action, as I sat in the very last row of a sold out Sydney Entertainment Centre. I very genuinely believe we can create these lifelong memories for a new generation of Kings fans, and give families an evening of sport and entertainment they won’t soon forget," he added.
"While my career has taken me to the United States and into the corporate world of marketing, my love for the Sydney Kings has never faltered. I was devastated when my beloved team was cut from the NBL for two years and, even then, I was constantly thinking of ways I could assist to bring them back.
"I can't tell you how much it meant to me, and I am sure every other Sydney Kings fan, to hear that Bill Wavish and Bob Turner found a way to resurrect the team and get them back on court at the Sydney Entertainment Centre.
"The Kings achieved a tremendous amount in their first season back in the NBL. With a great base to build upon, and an exciting team already in place for the coming season, we will be working tirelessly to show Sydney that there is no other sporting team willing to work as hard as the Sydney Kings both on and off the court.
"Our game night attendance and TV audience from last season highlights the bond that Sydney-siders have with the Sydney Kings. Our goal is to continue to deliver a great product to all our fans and corporate partners.
"My first priority will be to take the Sydney Kings into every major boardroom, and to work with the business community to deliver compelling partnership opportunities that exceed all expectations. If anyone has any lingering doubts about the return of the Sydney Kings after last season, they won't by the end of the 2011-2012 season; I can guarantee that," David said.
