Widner named Albuquerque team president
April 12, 2005 - NBA G League (G League)
New Mexico Thunderbirds News Release
GREENVILLE, S.C., April 12 - Albuquerque native and NBA Dallas Mavericks ticket executive Billy Widner has been named team president for NBDL Albuquerque. Widner will begin his duties with the new team Monday, April 25.
Widner joins sports executives Mike Berry, Todd Speer and Joe Berry to round out Southwest Basketball, LLC's group of presidents for the four new NBDL markets.
"I am pleased to have team presidents like Mike, Todd, Joe and Billy in our new markets," said David Kahn, owner and operator of Southwest Basketball. "They all have extensive sports marketing experience and the ability to help us connect with each local market, both on the community and corporate levels."
Since October of 2000, Widner has served as the telemarketing manager for the Mavericks, where he directed all season ticket and group event sales efforts for the organization, helping extend the Mavericks record sell out streak to 152 games while managing an overall sales growth of 40-percent. After attending Highland (N.M.) High School and the University of New Mexico, Widner worked for MCI from 1992 to 2000, starting as a sales representative and working his way to senior sales manager. He also served in the US Marine Corps Reserves from 1991-95.
"I am excited about the opportunity to have my family come back home with me to Albuquerque, so that together with the fans, we can bring a very special sports entertainment experience to New Mexico," Widner said. "It's very important that the fans have a voice in how our team operates, so I would encourage them to take advantage of the "Name the Team Contest" on NBDL.com or reach out to me personally at bwidner@nbdlsw.com."
Mike Berry, most recently the vice president of sales and marketing for the Pittsburgh Pirates, is the chief operating officer for all four teams as well as the Austin team president. With NBA experience in positions with the Portland Trail Blazers, Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs, Berry will coordinate and oversee sales for all four teams and be in charge of new arena sales. While with the Pirates, he managed a $65 million business and a 40-person staff representing sales elements for the organization.
Joe Berry, no relation to Mike, serves as the team president in Tulsa after several successful years as an executive in professional golf. In 2000, he began working for Octagon Marketing as director of sales for the Senior PGA Bank One Championship in Dallas. He transferred to Tulsa as tournament director for the Williams Championship in 2001. He also has a decade of experience with Benchmark Hospitality and Crown Golf Properties.
Speer comes to NBDL Fort Worth from Speerhead Event Consulting, Inc., where he has been serving as president and CEO. Prior to his experience with Speerhead, the Baylor University graduate and Grapevine, Texas resident served as senior director of marketing and sales for Primedia Productions in Carrollton, Texas.
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