Arizona Coyotes President and CEO Anthony LeBlanc announced today that the Coyotes have named Brian Sandy as President of the Tucson Roadrunners. Sandy joins the Coyotes organization from Learfield Sports, where he served as the General Manager overseeing all corporate partnership efforts for Sacramento State’s 21 NCAA sports programs.
“We are thrilled to have Brian join us as the President of the Tucson Roadrunners,” said LeBlanc. “Brian is an experienced sales and marketing executive who has an exemplary track record of success in the sports industry. He is very familiar with the Tucson market and has previous experience running professional hockey franchises. He’s the perfect fit for us.”
Prior to joining Sacramento State Athletics, Sandy served as the President of the Portland Thunder’s Arena Football League team (2014-15). Sandy directed all operations for the startup AFL franchise. In 2013-14, Sandy was the President and Alternate Governor for the Stockton Thunder (ECHL) hockey team. While with both organizations, Sandy oversaw all sales, client services, marketing, branding, advertising, promotions, event management, broadcasting, community and media relations, hockey/football operations, merchandise, legal, accounting and P&L management, human resources management, venue lease administration and league compliance.
“I’m truly honored to return to Tucson and to join the Coyotes organization,” said Sandy. “I look forward to helping establish the Roadrunners brand, both on the ice and within the community. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
The Coyotes also announced today that the organization has hired three additional personnel for the Tucson Roadrunners senior management team. Tom Callahan will serve as the Tucson Roadrunners’ Director of Media Relations/Radio Play-by-Play Announcer; Mark Iralson has been added as the club’s Director of Game Operations and Bob Hoffman will be the Director of Sales.
Callahan joins the Roadrunners from the Indiana Fuel (ECHL) where he served as the team’s Director of Communications and Radio Play-by-Play Announcer. Prior to working for the Fuel, Tom spent five seasons (2008-2013) as the Radio Play-by-Play Announcer for the Nashville Predators (NHL). Callahan also was the Play-by-Play voice of Nashville FC for one season and previously served as the Director of Communications for the Peoria Rivermen (AHL) and the Director of Broadcasting and Public Relations for the Augusta Lynx (ECHL).
Iralson comes to the Roadrunners with several years of marketing and game presentation experience. He oversaw the Arizona Coyotes’ game operations in 2014 and 2015 and served as the Marketing and Game Operations Manager for the Arizona Diamondbacks (MLB) from 2003-2005. He also was the Game Operations and Promotional Manager for the Nashville Predators (NHL) from 1998-2003 and Chicago Wolves (IHL) from 1994-1998, and served as a game operations consultant to the San Diego Gulls (AHL) and Iowa Wild (AHL) in 2015-16.
Hoffman previously served as the Executive Vice President of the Quad City Mallards Hockey Club (ECHL). While with the Mallards, he oversaw corporate marketing and sponsorships and assisted with many of the daily team operations. He also served as the Vice President of Communications for the Utah Grizzlies (AHL) from 2002-2005.
