Consumer Goods

Senior Vice President of People & Culture, Portland Trail Blazers / Vulcan Sports & Entertainment

OVERVIEW

Vulcan Sports and Entertainment is the parent company of the Portland Trailblazers and the Seattle Seahawks. Established in 1986 by Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen, and his sister, Jody Allen, the company is headquartered in Seattle, Washington. The company oversees diverse business activities and philanthropic endeavors.

CHALLENGE

The CEO realized he needed to restructure the arenas operations in order to create a sustainable business model. In order to do so, he needed a Chief People Officer who could create and execute an HR strategy that would leverage the organization’s employee potential. This CPO would need to be a strategic partner with the CEO to build out the capacity of the workforce, while also paying close attention to diversity, equity, and inclusion issues. This HR leader would need to develop mentoring and succession planning programs that would build the talent bench and open up advancement opportunities.

RESULT

We found the ideal candidate to partner with the CEO to build out the company’s employee capabilities. Since coming on board, the hire has rolled up her sleeves to make sure everyone in the organization is in the right seat with the right support. Bringing in modern HR strategies, she’s transformed the people power of the company by enhancing employee engagement, performance, and productivity. Her leadership and collaboration with the CEO have led to increased profitability, record-high levels of attendance, and an improved customer experience.