Xavier A. Gutierrez, whose background is on the business side of the ledger, is the new president and CEO of the Arizona Coyotes, becoming the first Latino team president & CEO in NHL history.
His appointment was announced today by Coyotes Owner, Chairman and Governor Alex Meruelo.
“I am very proud to name Xavier as the first Latino team President and CEO in NHL history,” Meruelo said vis press release. “This is a historic day for the Coyotes and the entire NHL. I have known Xavier for over a decade, and he is a seasoned executive with over 20 years of business and investment experience. We share the same approach to business and his intellect, leadership skills, and strategic mindset made him the clear choice to be our new CEO. He is a leader with tremendous vision and integrity, and I have the utmost confidence that he can help the Coyotes become a world class organization on and off the ice.”
Gutierrez joins the Coyotes from his position as Managing Director at Clearlake Capital Group, where his career focused on focused on investment management, corporate strategy & operations, finance, and business development. Clearlake is a private investment firm founded in 2006, managing over $17 billion of institutional capital since inception whose senior investment principals have led or co-led over 200 investments in technology, industrials and consumer companies.
Before that, however, he was Chief Investment Officer of Meruelo Group, the family office of US Latino business executive and Coyotes Chairman and Governor Alex Meruelo, and President & Chief Investment Officer of Meruelo Investment Partners, the firm’s investment affiliate.
“I am extremely grateful to Mr. Meruelo for this opportunity to lead the Coyotes which he loves so dearly and honored to become the first Latino team President and CEO in NHL history,” said Gutierrez. “This is a very special and proud day for me, my wife Jericca, our son Xavi, and our entire extended family. Mr. Meruelo and I share the same vision to make the Coyotes a world class organization that is innovative in our efforts to connect with and grow our fan base, continue to be a leader in our community, and develop great relationships with our business partners. We want to build a financially stable and prosperous organization for the long term, and our ultimate goal is to bring a Stanley Cup to our great fans in Arizona. I’m very excited to get started.”
Gutierrez replaces Ahron Cohen as CEO. Cohen spent a little over two years as CEO after being hired by former owner Andrew Barroway and departed the team in mid-May.
