Rockets Business Team
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Rockets Business Team Marcus Jolibois Chief Financial Officer Marcus Jolibois is in his 20th season as the organization’s Chief Financial Officer. He oversees all accounting, financial and administrative operations for the Houston Rockets and Toyota Center. In addition, Jolibois is responsible for the development and maintenance of the organization’s data and information systems. Jolibois also oversees the financial and administrative operations of the Clutch City Foundation, the non-profit charitable foundation established by Owner Leslie Alexander. He is also a member of the Senior Management Team for the Rockets and Toyota Center. A 1981 graduate of Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, Jolibois joined the Rockets staff on November 15, 1994, after working for eight years at Levitz, Zacks and Ciceric in San Diego, California. He served as the audit manager for the firm from 1986-94. Prior to his time with Levitz, BUSINESS TEAM Zacks and Ciceric, Jolibois worked for two years as an operational and financial auditor for a Fortune 50 Company in San Diego. From 1981-84, he began his accounting career with Peterson, Sullivan, and Co. in Seattle. Jolibois, a native of Tacoma, Washington, and his wife, Diane, live in The Woodlands with their four sons, Andrew, Connor, Scott and Luke. Scott Andrews Executive Vice President & Chief Strategy Officer Scott Andrews is in his second season as the organization’s Vice President & Chief Strategy Officer. He oversees all aspects of business strategy and market research, team marketing and brand development, promotions, advertising, digital and social media marketing, game presentation, as well as the Rockets retail organization. Andrews joined the Rockets after a 14-year career in the casino gaming industry, most of that time with Harrah’s Entertainment (now Caesars Entertainment) in Las Vegas – the world’s largest gaming company. Andrews had a number of positions at Harrah’s, including Vice President of Marketing for the western division. In that role Andrews, was responsible for providing all strategic and operational direction to marketing across twelve casino properties in the U.S. and abroad. His responsibilities included relationship marketing, internet and e-mail strategy, direct mail, casino VIP marketing, special events and promotions, brand management and revenue/pricing management. Andrews also worked for Penn National Gaming’s M Resort as Chief Marketing Officer. Prior to his time in gaming, Scott spent four years as a management consultant in Cambridge, Massachusetts with Integral, Inc. Andrews graduated from Brown University with a dual bachelor’s degree in economics and political science in 1992, and earned his MBA from The Tuck School at Dartmouth College in 1998. A native of Medfield, Massachusetts, Andrews resides in downtown Houston with his wife, Rana. John R. Croley Vice President of Corporate Development John R. Croley begins his second season with the Houston Rockets as the organization’s Vice President of Corporate Development. He oversees all aspects of contract negotiations, asset development and pricing, radio inventory management, partner contractual activation and customer service for Houston’s corporate partners. Croley also serves on the Senior Management Team. Croley joined the Rockets after spending 14 seasons with the Oklahoma City franchise and served as the Vice President of Business Development. Prior to joining the Oklahoma City franchise, Croley held an executive-level position as the Director of Public Assembly Facilities for the City of Tacoma, Washington, which included responsibility for Tacoma Dome, Cheney Stadium and Tacoma Convention & Trade Center. Before his work in Tacoma, Croley served as Executive Director for Ogden Entertainment Services at numerous Ogden sports and entertainment facilities, including the Sullivan Arena & Egan Convention Center in Anchorage, Alaska, Sioux Falls Arena & Stadium in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Roberts Municipal Stadium & Mesker Amphitheater in Evansville, Indiana, and the SeaGate Convention Center in Toledo, Ohio. Croley’s accomplishments in the industry have garnered several awards including Ogden Entertainment Services’ 1990 Top Performer of the Year in the Sports & Entertainment Division, Poll Star Magazine’s nominee and 1995 runner-up for Arena Executive of the Year for Sports & Entertainment Facilities Nationwide and the City of Tacoma’s Top 10 Performers of the Year in 1997 and 1998. A native of Tennessee, Croley and his wife, Gemma, live in Kingwood, TX. Croley, who is on the board of Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast & Louisiana, has three children, John, Alison and Macy, who live in Tacoma, WA. 72 Rockets Business Team Gretchen Sheirr Vice President of Sales & Services Gretchen Sheirr is entering her 13th season with the Houston Rockets. As Vice President of Sales & Service, Sheirr’s duties include the development of creative sales strategies and service practices for customer retention and new business generation, supervision of the suite sales and activation, ticket sales and service, and box office teams, as well as the integration of all ticketed related events and promotions. She is also a member of the Senior Management Team. Sheirr joined the organization in 2001. Prior to the Rockets, she worked in indoor soccer with the Houston Hotshots and with Game Face Inc. in Portland, Oregon. A native of Spring, Texas, Sheirr graduated from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge with a degree in marketing. She also was a four-year letterwinner as a diver for LSU. Gretchen was elected and currently serves on the Baylor Sports Sponsorship & Sales Advisory Board, Target Hunger, and is a member of the Executive Women’s Partnership. She and her husband, Ken, live in The Woodlands with their twins, Jordan and Zachary. Executive/Advisor Rafael Stone General Counsel Rafael Stone is in his 10th season as General Counsel of the Houston Rockets BUSINESS TEAM and Toyota Center. He is responsible for all legal matters concerning business, building and team operations. His major areas of focus include legal matters for Toyota Center, television and radio agreements, community relations, sponsorship agreements, intellectual property matters, human resources matters, risk management, and compliance with league rules. In addition, Stone assists the basketball operations staff with the management of legal issues relating to the team. He is also a member of the organization’s Senior Management Team. Prior to joining the Rockets and Toyota Center, Stone practiced in Dewey Ballantine LLP’s mergers and acquisitions and capital markets group. While with Dewey Ballantine, Stone represented acquirers, targets, investment banks, investors and issuers in numerous acquisitions and financings. A native of Seattle, Washington, Stone received a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Williams College in 1994 and graduated from Stanford Law School in 1997. He also played varsity basketball at Williams College for four years. Stone presently resides in Houston with his wife, Felicia, and their three children. Tilman J. Fertitta Advisory Director Tilman Fertitta is the sole owner, Chairman, and CEO of Landry’s, Inc., one of America’s leading dining, entertainment, and gaming and hospitality companies. Landry’s is the nation’s largest privately held restaurant, entertain- ment and gaming company owned by one individual and has combined revenues of $2.8 billion dollars and assets of over $3 billion. The Company operates over 500 properties in 34 states and a number of international locations. Landry’s is also one of the country’s largest employers with over 50,000 employees. Landry’s owns and operates over 50 different restaurant brands; some of its notable concepts are McCormick & Schmick’s, Chart House, Landry’s Seafood House, Rainforest Café, Saltgrass Steakhouse, Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, Claim Jumper, and upscale eateries under its Signature Series: Morton’s Steakhouse, Oceanaire, Vic & Anthony’s, Brenner’s Steakhouse, Grotto, La Griglia and Willie G’s. Landry’s also operates numerous gaming, hospitality and entertainment venues, including the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and Laughlin, Nevada and Atlantic City, New Jersey and Biloxi, Mississippi, the San Luis Resort, Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier, The Kemah Boardwalk, Downtown Aquarium Houston and Denver and the Tower of Americas in San Antonio, Texas just to name a few. An influential business figure, Fertitta has been frequently featured in every substantially financial and industry publication and has appeared on numerous national business programs including CNBC and Fox Business News. Also, he has been a featured speaker at many conferences and seminars. Fertitta is one of the foremost authorities in the restaurant, gaming entertainment and hospitality industries. Fertitta’s many personal honors include – Entrepreneur of the Year Award from Ernst & Young and Induction into the Texas Business Hall of Fame as the second-youngest inductee. Fertitta devotes a substantial amount of time to civic service and currently serves as Chairman of the Houston Children’s Charity and the Houston Police Foundation. He also serves on the following boards: Texas Heart Institute, Greater Houston Partnership and the University of Houston Board of Regents. He and his wife, Paige, live in Houston with their four children. 73 Rockets Business Team Michael S. Goldberg Outside Counsel – Baker Botts L.L.P. Michael S. Goldberg, senior partner in the Houston