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Front Office

Executive Staff MARIO LEMIEUX
Chairman

Hockey Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux is in his ninth season as chairman of the Penguins.

Lemieux and his ownership group ensured the long-term future of the Penguins in Pittsburgh on March 13, 2007, when they reached agreement on a new multi-purpose arena with Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato and Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl.

Lemieux has been a vital part of Pittsburgh hockey since 1984, when, as an 18-year-old prodigy, he was selected first overall by the Penguins in the NHL Entry Draft. With his long reach, deft hands and incomparable scoring touch, he rang up 100 points and captured the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 1984-85, and was MVP of his first NHL All-Star Game, providing just a glimpse of spectacular feats to come – both on and off the ice.

The Montreal native led the Penguins to two Stanley Cups (1990-91 and 1991-92) while winning six NHL scoring titles, three league Most Valuable Player awards and two Conn Smythe trophies as playoff MVP. He did all this despite a series of serious medical setbacks that included multiple back surgeries over the years and a well-publicized battle with hodgkin’s disease in 1993.

Lemieux retired at the age of 31 following the 1996-97 season, having produced 613 goals and 881 assists for 1,491 points in 745 games with the Penguins. The Hall of Fame immediately waived the mandatory waiting period and inducted him in 1997.

But he wasn’t finished. Far from it. In September, 1999, Lemieux and California entrepreneur Ron Burkle led an ownership group that bought the Penguins out of bankruptcy, and barely more than a year later, he stunned the sports world by announcing that he was returning to the ice as a player -- becoming the first player-owner of the modern era.

No. 66 made his comeback on Dec. 27, 2000, scoring a goal and adding two assists in a 5-0 win over Toronto at Mellon Arena. Despite sitting out more than three seasons and not having a training camp, he finished with a remarkable 35 goals and 76 points in just 43 games that year and helped the Penguins reach the Eastern Conference finals against New Jersey.

After returning to the ice for the second portion of his career, Lemieux played in 170 games from 2000-06, recording 77 goals and 152 assists for 229 points.

Although he missed a significant number of games due to injuries throughout his career, Le Magnifique retired in 2006 as the No. 7 all-time scorer in NHL history with 1,723 points. He also ranked eighth all-time in goals (690) and 10th in assists (1,033).

In addition to his legendary hockey accomplishments, he continues to oversee the Mario Lemieux Foundation for cancer research and neo-natal research and hosts its celebrity golf tournament, which has raised more than $8 million for charity. Mario, his wife, Nathalie, and their four children live in Sewickley.


KEN SAWYER
CEO

Ken Sawyer joined the Penguins as a key part of Mario Lemieux’s senior management team in 1999 and was named CEO of the club in January, 2006. In his current role, he oversees all of the Penguins’ operations including the construction of the new arena.

Sawyer has overseen the development of a new arena and its financing culminating with the announcement by state and local officials of an arena funding plan on March 13, 2007 – ensuring the Penguins’ long-term future in Pittsburgh.

Sawyer also helped reshape the Penguins’ future on the ice when he hired Ray Shero as executive vice president and general manager in May, 2006.

He represents the Penguins in all league matters and is a member of the NHL’s Board of Governors.

Sawyer’s career spans 36 years – including 14 as the Chief Financial Officer of the National Hockey League and the past eight as an executive of the Penguins. He joined the Penguins as executive vice president and chief financial officer in September 1999 and was promoted to team president in March 2003.

Sawyer is a graduate of McGill University in his native Montreal. He and his wife, Shirley, reside in Pittsburgh. They have two sons and two grandchildren.

DAVID MOREHOUSE
President

Pittsburgh native David Morehouse was named president of the Penguins in April, 2007. He represents the team in corporate relations, governmental affairs and redevelopment of the Mellon Arena site, in addition to overseeing the ticket sales, marketing, corporate sales and communications departments.

Morehouse came to the Penguins in December, 2004, as a Senior Consultant on the new arena project, bringing with him extensive national experience in political decision-making, strategic planning and project development.

He served as Senior Advisor to the John Kerry for President campaign, traveling on the campaign plane and serving as Senator Kerry’s traveling chief of staff. He worked in the Clinton-Gore White House, at the Pentagon and on Capitol Hill during much of the 1990s, including a stint as Senior Counselor to Vice President Al Gore from 1999-2001. Overall, he worked on four Presidential campaigns.

Morehouse grew up in Beechview and attended South Hills Catholic High School, the Community College of Allegheny County and Duquesne University. He received a masters’ degree in public administration from the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1999.

Morehouse and his wife, Vanessa, reside in Bell Acres with their two children, Jackson and Mackenzie.

RON PORTER
Senior Consultant

Ron Porter is in his first season with the Penguins as a Senior Consultant, responsible for community outreach and strategic planning.

Porter, 62, a native of the Hill District and a lifelong resident of Pittsburgh, is an internationally-recognized consultant, facilitator, trainer and speaker with expertise in team-building and collaboration between corporations and their communities. He is president of RDP Consulting Services in Pittsburgh and is an adjunct instructor of multicultural management at Carnegie Melon University’s Heinz School of Public Policy and Management.

Porter is a frequent speaker at local, national and international conferences on issues related to ethnic, cultural and racial diversity – including conferences in England, Ghana, South Africa and Ethiopia. Before founding RDP Consulting Services in 1984, he spent 17 years as a corporate human resources professional. He serves on numerous boards, including Pressley Ridge Schools and Propel Charter Schools.

He has been married for 39 years to Dr. Barbara Porter, assistant dean of admissions for the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh. They have two grown sons and four grandchildren.