); and a private law practice.Before joining the organization, Whitfield most recently served as Director of Business and Legal Affairs for Jordan Brand, where he managed endorsements and sports marketing strategy. He served for four years, achieving the rank of petty officer third class. He went on to play another two seasons after that, helping the Lakers to the 1984-85 NBA Championship, before retiring in 1986.Kupchak played collegiately at the University of North Carolina, where he was the first freshman to play varsity basketball after the freshman eligibility rules changed prior to the 1972-73 season. The next year he was promoted to Senior Account Manager and then spent four years as Manager of Season Ticket Services before being promoted to Director of Season Ticket & Premium Services in 2012. After two years in that role, he was promoted to Senior Director of Client Services & Retention in 2014 and Vice President of Client Development & Group Ticket Sales in 2015 before assuming his current role in 2016.Gallagher is also a veteran of the United States Navy. Since its creation, his Jordan Brand (a division of NIKE) has been an innovator of athletic shoes and apparel. Polk was involved in the integration and consolidation of all the sports properties under the SFX Entertainment umbrella into a single business entity.During the summer of 1996, Polk negotiated four of the five highest contracts in NBA history. All rights reserved. Bennett served as one of the franchise’s primary leaders in the rebranding to the Charlotte Hornets, managing all aspects of the process on a day-to-day basisBennett has more than 25 years of experience in a variety of areas across sports and entertainment. As owner and founding principal of The Event Authority, he produced over 400 live events for various college and high school athletic programs and entertainment entities. He negotiated Alonzo Mourning’s $105 million contract with the Miami Heat and Dikembe Mutombo’s $56 million contract with the Atlanta Hawks. That list includes nine HBCU Football Classics, the Jordan Brand Classic high school basketball all-star game and the HoopTee Celebrity Golf Classic, as well as the corporate entertainment for the PGA Tour FBR Open in Phoenix. Jordan is the first former player to become the majority owner of an NBA franchise. Managing Partner, Alternate Governor & Minority OwnerPresident, Vice Chairman, Alternate Governor & Minority OwnerPresident of Basketball Operations & General ManagerExecutive Vice President & Spectrum Center General Manager
In March 2010, Jordan became the majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, after four years as part of the team’s ownership group and its Managing Member of Basketball Operations.
As one of the world’s most popular and recognizable figures, Jordan’s endorsement portfolio includes Gatorade, Upper Deck and Hanes, among others. During his four years as a collegian at the University of North Carolina, Peterson helped the Tar Heels to a 115-22 mark, four Atlantic Coast Conference championships, one ACC Tournament title and four appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Peterson, who led Tulsa to the 2001 NIT Championship, began his coaching career as an assistant at Appalachian State before joining Les Robinson’s staff at East Tennessee State for one year and later moving with Robinson to North Carolina State. In recent years, Whitfield has received the prestigious Thurgood Marshall Award of Excellence (2011) and YMCA George Williams Award (Volunteer of the Year 2012), as well as the Key to the City of Greensboro (2013). He is widely credited with facilitating the methods to correct the team’s troubled salary cap situation, enabling that franchise to rebuild through trades and free agency.Whitfield served as Director of Player Development for Nike Basketball prior to joining the Wizards. In addition, for the past 33 years he has run, which he founded, the Achievements Unlimited Basketball School in Greensboro and Charlotte serving more than 10,000 kids, including many who attend on need-based scholarships. He was also selected to the Sports Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” in 1999.The 57-year-old Polk began his career as a Certified Public Accountant for Touche Ross and Co. in Washington, DC in 1983.Polk and his wife, Amanda, are involved in many Washington charities including Johns Hopkins affiliate, Suburban Hospital, Kids Enjoy Exercise Now (KEEN) and DC Humane Society.Since coming to Charlotte, Whitfield has overseen the dramatic growth of both the franchise and arena.