CORPORATE
Founder and CEO of Black Bear Sports Group, Inc., Murry Gunty is a lifelong hockey fan. Having grown up in Portland, Maine, Gunty spent countless hours playing hockey and watching the former Maine Mariners of the American Hockey League. He has coached and managed his sons' AA and AAA hockey teams from Mite through Bantam and is passionate about growing the game. His vision for Black Bear was to combine his turnaround experience with his passion for the sport to bring professional management to the rink industry, turning around poorly run facilities and investing badly-needed capital in 20-30 year old rinks thereby saving them for their respective communities.
Gunty is the CEO and founder of Blackstreet Capital Holdings, LLC and Blackstreet Capital Management, and was a General Partner at Jacobson Partners, LP, and partner at Lazard Freres Real Estate, LLC. He also worked at the Blackstone Group, where he was an Analyst.
Rob Dragonette is the Chief Financial Officer. Dragonette is a graduate of the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland. Dragonette has 20 years of experience as a CFO in several industries and the roles of President and General Manager. Rob is a lifelong Washington Capitals fan and was pleased to witness the Caps' Cup Championship in 2018.
Ms. Beyrer is the Controller. She is a graduate of Dominican University with a B.A. in Accounting. She has over 20 years of experience focusing on financial statement preparation, financial controls, and budgeting. She has also served in the capacity of treasurer for various youth sports organizations in Illinois.
Ms. Saarnio is the Vice President, Human Resources. She is a graduate of Northern Illinois University with a B.S. in Human Resources Management and is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources with both SPHR and APHR-CR certifications. She has over 20 years of Human Resources experience supporting multi-unit/multi-state organizations.
Dave Wandell joined Black Bear Sports Group in December 2021 as the Director of Information Technologies. Wandell brings a diverse background in IT, starting in the late 90s as a Network Administrator for two rapidly growing Biotech companies. Prior to signing on with Black Bear, Dave owned Blue Crab Networks, a successful Managed Services company, and was also co-founder of New Market Enterprises, a consumer electronics marketing company.
Born and raised in a Maryland suburb of DC, Dave grew up a lifelong Washington Capitals fan. In his free time, he chauffeurs his son to Montgomery Blue Devil travel hockey practices and games.
Andrew Zuckerman previously worked as an Analyst at NewSpring Capital & Verisma Systems, a NewSpring PortCo, gaining experience in FP&A, Portfolio Management, and Financial Modeling. Mr. Zuckerman graduated Cum Laude from Tulane University with a BSM in Finance & Management and an MS in Quantitative Management from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.
Jennifer joined the Black Bear Sports Group as the Operations Manager. Jennifer supports the IT department and corporate operations with administrative responsibilities. Jennifer obtained a B.S. in Hospitality Management, with a Hospitality Marketing Minor, from York College of Pennsylvania, where she played Varsity Softball.
Garrett grew up in Wilmington, Delaware, and played ice hockey his whole life. He was a captain on his high school hockey team and led them to their first Flyers Cup Championship in his senior year. After high school, he attended the University of Delaware where he graduated with a degree in sports management. While attending the University of Delaware, he worked at the University's ice rinks and was involved in football operations for the University's football team. After graduating, he worked in Accounting for Monumental Sports and Entertainment, focusing on the Washington Capitals and Hershey Bears ice hockey teams.
ARENA OPERATIONS
Evan graduated from Pennsylvania State University and immediately began a career in hospitality. After college, he spent over 20 years in a corporate hospitality setting throughout multiple states, working his way to Managing Partner and then Joint Venture Partner. Evan brings years of multi-unit management experience, including openings in new markets, relocations, and remodels. His management background is in people, budgeting, P&Ls, marketing, and sales building. Evan and his family also understand the hockey lifestyle from the family perspective, with a son heavily involved in youth hockey.
Patrick grew up in Beaconsfield, Quebec, a suburb west of Montreal. Growing up, Patrick played multiple sports through his high school years. After graduating high school, Patrick played two years of Junior A hockey in Canada before heading to play DIII NCAA for SUNY Potsdam where he was an alternate captain his junior season. Patrick graduated from Potsdam in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and a concentration in Accounting.
Patrick began working for Black Bear in 2019 as the General Manager of Skylands Ice World and the Skylands Kings Hockey Club. Prior to that, Patrick spent 5 years as the Hockey Director for the rink and the Kings travel program. Before coming to Skylands, Patrick worked at Ontario Hockey Academy where he taught high school Economics & Business while serving as Head Coach at the U16AAA level.
Bob Weiss is the Regional Director of Operations for the Maryland, DC, and Jersey Shore Regions.
Brian is the Regional Director of Operations for the Central Jersey and Northeast PA Regions. Brian developed a love of hockey at a young age and was fortunate to play for Pennsylvania State College, where he studied Early Childhood Education and Hotel & Restaurant Management. He has shared his passion for over 15 years of hockey with hundreds of children and adults by coaching successful Learn-to-Play programs for all ages.
Reagan joined Black Bear Sports Group as the General Manager of Revolution Ice Gardens (RIG), located in Warminster, PA, in September 2019. Brian added Bucks County Ice (BCI) under his management when Black Bear acquired it in March 2020. He took on the position of Director of Business Operations for RIG, BCI, York Ice Arena, and Twin Ponds Arena as of January 2022 and will provide support for the management of all four arenas.
Brian serves as the President of Royals Ice Hockey, a full member of the Delaware Valley Hockey League (DVHL) and the Atlantic Hockey Federation (AHF). Prior to joining Black Bear, Brian was the General Manager of Center Ice of Oaks and the Head Scheduler of the Valley Forge Colonials, also a member of the DVHL and AHF.
Gregg Naumenko is the Regional Director of Operations for the Chicago Region. Gregg is a Chicago native and played youth hockey in the area until the age of 14. Gregg then embarked on a four-year Junior career before playing Div. 1 for The University of Alaska Anchorage. One of seven Illinois-born goalies to ever play in the NHL (Mighty Ducks), Gregg enjoyed a career that had several stops where he was able to play for some of the top hockey minds in the world. After retiring from pro hockey, Gregg came back to his roots in Chicago to start his coaching career where he could start giving back to the game. He has spent several years on the AHAI and Central District player development committees as well as coaching at USA Hockey’s National Select Festivals. Gregg has coached nearly 2000 games with recent stops in the USHL as Associate Coach and Assistant G.M. of the Omaha Lancers.
Regional Director of Operations for the South Jersey and Central PA Region.
Paul Shimko is the Regional Director of Operations for the New England Region. Paul grew up in Hershey, Pennsylvania where his passion for hockey began. His love of all sports continued to grow playing for various youth teams. Paul mainly focused on the game of golf throughout college.
He currently has over twenty-plus years coaching various youth sports programs. From the 2000s to present Paul has served as the Silver Stick International Regional Tournament Director and the Northeast Doritos Tournament Director hosting over 300 teams annually. He is presently the GM/coach for the Team Doritos Peewee Quebec hockey club (12th year).
He took on the position of General Manager upon the acquisition by Black Bear of the Milford Ice Arena in 2018.
Scott Branovan is the Regional Director of Operations for the Western PA and Ohio Regions. Scott is well-versed in consumer marketing and employing sound business knowledge in sales including profit/loss center management. Branovan, a 25-year consumer products executive, spent 13 years with the world-class company, Nestles USA. His experience in sports marketing, brand development, market strategy, and execution involves such national brands as Quaker Oats, Gatorade, Campbell's, General Mills, Perrier Group of America, Tropicana, Very Fine, Clorox, and Nestle USA. Prior to leading the sponsorship and marketing as well as overseeing the operations for the facilities in Western PA for Black Bear Sports Group, Branovan has been serving privately owned participatory sports facilities for consulting as well as management oversight for over 12 years. Branovan received his B.A. in Business Administration from Lakeland College in Sheboygan, WI in 1982 where he was an outstanding athlete. He has since been inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame for his participation in both Tennis and Football. He is also a graduate of St. John's Northwestern Academy, Delafield, WI where he was the Athlete of the Year and was later elected to the Athletic Hall of Fame, having participated in Football, Basketball, and Tennis. Branovan was also named to the top 100 athletes of the century at St. John's Northwestern Academy and served on the Board of Trustees leading the strategic planning committee for five years.
Scott McNeil is the Regional Director of Operations for Michigan. Scott grew up in Royal Oak, Michigan, and has never lived more than one mile from his local arena. With a true love for the game, Scott played youth hockey through age 18 and then continued for many years in the adult leagues. At
age 19, Scott began a coaching career that spanned over 30 years. He coached at various levels including Learn to Play, House B, A, AA, and AAA. He truly loves the sport and giving back to grow the game.
Scott not only grew up playing and coaching hockey, he also volunteered to help run the local association for eight years and later became ADM Director and Vice President of the association. His love of the game is shared by his entire family. Both of his boys grew up playing as soon as they could crawl on the ice and his wife took up playing later as an adult.
Most recently, Scott ran his hometown arena for the City of Royal Oak for the last 5 years as their General Manager.
FACILITIES
Dan Casey is the Director of Safety and Compliance. Dan holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Southern New Hampshire University. Dan has over 40 years of experience in public safety through his years of service within the Fire Department and Baltimore Police Department. Dan has further knowledge of refrigeration and vehicle maintenance through Penske truck. He has built and managed serval successful life safety programs. Dan is excited to work with each Black Bear facility to establish a consistent safety and compliance program.
Edward Seeley is the Senior Facilities Manager for the Northeast Region, with 18 years of expertise in ice maintenance and facilities management, including the past 7 years at Black Bear Sports Group. In addition to overseeing the facilities in his region, he handles the procurement and logistics for the company's fleet of ice resurfacers. Ed is an active member of the U.S. Ice Rink Association and holds the designation of Certified Rink Administrator (CRA). Ed has also spent many, many hours in ice rinks throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast watching his son play hockey from squirt through his college years.
Scott Harrington, a native of Farmingdale, NJ, has over 25 years of experience in the ice rink industry and youth ice hockey coaching. His journey began at 18 as a Zamboni driver, and he has since taken on every role in rink operations, cultivating a deep passion for all aspects of ice rink management. Scott joined Black Bear in 2021 as the Facility Manager of Howell Ice Arena before transitioning to BBSG Facilities the following year. In his current role, Scott is dedicated to fostering a culture of excellence across the portfolio, striving to set a standard of best practices that leads the industry.
JUNIOR HOCKEY
Andrew brings his love for the game of hockey and a wealth of business experience and leadership to the Black Bear Youth Hockey Foundation. As a lifelong Washington Capitals fan and now a youth hockey coach and parent, Mr. Goldman's passion for hockey developed at a young age and has blossomed while coaching and then supporting his son Ethan, a 2003 birth year hockey player. In his professional career, Mr. Goldman currently serves as President of the Youngstown Phantoms, a member of the United States Hockey League, the world's top junior hockey league in terms of NCAA scholarships and NHL draft picks. Aside from developing tomorrow's hockey superstars, Mr. Goldman focuses on community engagement, relationships with NHL organizations, youth hockey partnerships, and expanding the in-game fan experience with cutting edge promotions, entertainment and family-friendly opportunities. Prior to joining the Phantoms, Mr. Goldman served as the Managing Director of Cormony Development, a Maryland-based real estate development form, developing self storage facilities, office, mixed use properties and most recently, the Hercules Development Project, and adaptive reuse project in Canton, Ohio, that added 125,000 square feet of mult-family residential to the city.
Jason Deskins returns as Co-General Manager of Junior Hockey for BBSG and Co-General Manager for Youngstown Phantoms.
Jason Deskins spent previous seasons with the Omaha Lancers of the USHL as their Assistant General Manager and Director of Scouting. His responsibilities in Omaha included oversight of all scouting and evaluating efforts as well as running the teams' drafts.
Jason grew up in Warren, MI, and played much of his youth and junior hockey in the state. A former Miami Redhawk and All-CCHA member, Jason was a four-year letter-winner, three year Captain, and was elected Miami's offensive player of the year in 1998-1999 and 2000-2001. Jason played four years of professional hockey and concluded his playing career in 2006.
After retiring, Jason decided to pursue a career in hockey as a coach, scout, and executive. He was a regional scout for the Port Huron Fighting Falcons (NAHL) and the Sarnia Sting (OHL), the Assistant GM and Head Scout for the Maryland Black Bears (NAHL), and the Assistant GM and Director of Scouting for the Omaha Lancers (USHL). He has coached at various levels of youth hockey in Michigan and is currently the head coach for the Little Caesars Midget Minor program in Detroit.
Jason resides in Michigan with his wife, Christine, and sons, Andrew and Jacob
Ryan Kosecki returns as Co-General Manager of Junior Hockey for BBSG and Co-General Manager for Youngstown Phantoms.
Kosecki is also the Assistant General Manager with the Maryland Black Bears, the Head Coach for the Fox Motors '05 U16 AAA team, and the on ice Hockey Director for TPH Grand Rapids. Prior to joining Black Bear Sports Group, Ryan spent two seasons (2018-2020) as an assistant coach with the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL, where they won the regular season Eastern Conference Championship in his first season.
He lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with his wife Megan, daughter Cooper (11) and son Harrison (9).
LEAGUES AND TOURNAMENTS
Tony Zasowski is the Vice President, Leagues and Teams for Black Bear Sports Group. In his role, Zasowki is the Commissioner of the Tier 1 Hockey Federation and the Atlantic Hockey Federation. Tony comes to Black Bear from the NAHL where he was Commissioner of the NAPHL and led all aspects of NAHL Combines, NAHL Central Scouting and Education Initiatives for the NAHL, NA3HL and NAPHL including serving as General Manager for Team NAHL at the 2019 World Jr. Club Cup in Sochi, Russia.
Prior to his position with the NAHL, Zasowski served as Head Coach and General Manager for the NAHL's Springfield Jr. Blues from 2012-16. During that five-year span, Zasowski had over 40 players make NCAA commitments under his watch. Tony's players include goalies Dryden McKay (Hobey Baker Finalist 2021 & 2022), Tommy Nappier (2019 Big-10 Goalie of the Year / WBS AHL), Stefanos Lekkas (5th All-Time in NCAA Saves / Rochester AHL), Devin Cooley (Nashville Predators), and defender Nikolai Knyzhov (San Jose Sharks). Before heading to Springfield, Zasowski was President and Goaltending Coach of the San Jose Jr. Sharks along with Head Coach of the 16 & 18U tier I teams. Tony was one of the founding members of the NAPHL back in 2009. In San Jose, Tony won 2 CAHA state Championships and promoted over 20 players to junior and college hockey.
Tony Zasowski had coaching stints in his career as Assistant Coach/Goalie Coach for the Pensacola Ice Pilots (ECHL). Assistant Coach/Assistant General Manager with the Chicago Steel (USHL), and Assistant Coach with the Springfield Spirit (NAHL). In addition to his regular coaching duties, Tony has worked numerous USA Hockey Select Festivals as a goalie coach and evaluator.
As a player, Zasowski grew up playing goaltender. His junior career included winning an Anderson Cup and National Championship with the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL and playing in Omaha where he won a Clark Cup where he set a league record with 35 wins in a season winning USHL Goalie of the Year. From there, he earned a scholarship at the University of Notre Dame where he was named Freshman of the Year for the Irish. He finished up his playing career with the Dayton Bombers in the ECHL.
Zasowski and his wife DJ have a daughter, Esmee.
Blake MacNicol served as the Director of Hockey Operations for the North American Hockey League since 2017. He also served as Commissioner of the North American 3 Hockey League for multiple seasons. In these rolls he oversaw all aspects of league operations as well as overseeing youth hockey events. He also served as a member of the USA Hockey Junior Council for 3 seasons. Prior to these positions he served in other roles with the North American Hockey League as well as Associate Commissioner of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League. MacNicol attended the University of Alabama in Huntsville. He appeared in two NCAA tournaments for the men’s ice hockey team as well as earning an all CHA tournament team selection. He graduated with a degree in Sports Management and Business from Ohio University.
Laura Cahn, a prominent figure in hockey administration, has dedicated over two decades to shaping and elevating the sport. Her journey began in 1998 with the San Diego Jr Gulls, where she held key roles such as President, Treasurer, Registrar, and Tournament Director until 2011. Laura served on the Board of the Southern California Amateur Hockey Association (SCAHA) from 2002 to 2011, contributing significantly to the Discipline and Playoff Committees.
In 2008, Laura's influence expanded statewide as she became associated with the California Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA). Over a decade, she evolved into the role of 2nd VP and Youth Council Chair/Tournament Director from 2012 to 2019. Laura managed various youth leagues, league weekends, and State Championships, ensuring standardized and equitable playing fields through her review of League Rules & Regulations.
Transitioning to Northern California Amateur Hockey (NORCAL) in 2012, Laura served as the SafeSport Coordinator until 2019, maintaining member compliance and effectively liaising with USA Hockey. Her leadership ascended in 2019 as General Manager, overseeing all league operations, playoffs, dispute and discipline hearings, and providing crucial support to the league scheduler and registrar.
Simultaneously, from 2008 to 2023, Laura made her mark in corporate realms at Iceoplex as the Director of Tournaments, coordinating holiday tournaments, overseeing league weekends, and managing playoff events, showcasing her talent for seamless event execution and management.
In her current role with the Vacaville Jets since 2011, Laura continues to showcase her expertise as Registrar and Tournament Director, adeptly coordinating holiday tournaments, league weekends, and playoff events. She now resides in South Florida with her husband Larry, the Hockey Director for the Florida Panthers, and their daughter.
Brent was born and raised in St. Albert, Alberta, Canada. Brent played 3 years of Junior A hockey for the St. Albert Saints before receiving a scholarship to NCAA D1 Merrimack College in North Andover Massachusetts; a member of the Hockey East Conference. Brent served as captain for 2 years with Merrimack Warriors and has recently been named to Merrimack’s All-Decade Team. After completing 4 successful years with the Warriors and graduating with his BA in Business Administration and a concentration in Organizational Behavior he signed a contract to play professionally in the UK. Brent retired in 2010 and began his coaching career with the Junior A West Kelowna Warriors of the BCHL in West Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. He spent 5 seasons with the West Kelowna Warriors as the Associate Head Coach and Assistant General Manager. Following West Kelowna, Brent and his family moved to Arizona to join the Arizona Bobcat Program. In his time with the Bobcats he has coached U18, U16, and U14 AAA Teams. In the 2021-22 Season his team won the U 18 Tier 2 National Championship.
Nikki Miller is the Commissioner of the AGHF, Director of Administration for the Federations and Business Development for Defender. In addition to being a scheduler for the Princeton Tiger Lilies organization, Nikki is in her ninth year as team manager for the New Jersey Stars organization. Nikki also is in her fifth year as the Director and Tournament Coordinator for the VSK Wings Spring Hockey program. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Stockton University.
Matt oversees all aspects of scheduling for the AHF and THF. Matt is the co-founder and co-owner of the New Jersey 87's, a member of the Eastern Hockey League (EHL) where he serves as an Executive Committee member and is also on the league's Board of Directors. He has held various coaching titles including Associate Head Coach of the EHL and EHLP teams and Head Coach at the U18 AAA level. Matt is a graduate of the University of Scranton. Prior to shifting his career to youth and junior hockey, Matt was an equity derivatives trader for 20+ years.
Jeremy is the Founder and President of SuperSeries AAA which is one of the largest operators of elite hockey tournaments and showcases for 8 to 18 year-olds in North America. NHL players such as Clayton Keller, Matthew Tkachuk, Logan Brown and Victor Mete have all participated in SuperSeries events as well as countless players playing NCAA hockey and players currently in the USHL and NAHL. Additionally, Jeremy operates DHI Hockey, a subsidiary of SuperSeries which operates Elite Spring teams that travel to the top tournaments in North America and Europe. Jeremy is also the Vice President of the Black Bears’ USHL affiliate, the Youngstown Phantoms, and most recently was named Interim Commissioner of the National Girls Hockey League (NGHL) , a national girls hockey league dedicated to the growth and promotion of girls ice hockey.
Alex Kyrias is the Broadcast Director for the Black Bear Sports Group and oversees and manages all the broadcast initiatives for the company.
Prior to working for Black Bear, Kyrias was as the Director of Communications, Marketing and Sales for the North American Hockey League for 14 seasons. Kyrias helped manage all marketing, social media, website, editorial content, public and media relations for the NAHL, NA3HL, and NAPHL, as well as, all league-wide broadcasting, equipment supplier, sales and partnership initiatives. He was heard on various league-wide broadcasts including the NAHL Top Prospects Tournament, host of the annual NAHL and NA3HL Drafts, and was the play-by-play voice for Team NAHL at the World Junior Club Cup in Sochi, Russia.
Prior to the NAHL, Kyrias spent three years working in professional hockey. In 2007-08, Kyrias worked for the Augusta Lynx of the ECHL as the Director of Public and Media relations and play-by-play voice before joining the Iowa Stars/Iowa Chops the next season as the American Hockey League (AHL) team's Vice-President of communications and play-by-play broadcaster. In 2009-10, Kyrias served as the Vice-President of sales and marketing of the then International Hockey League's (IHL) Quad City Mallards.
Kyrias also served as the Director of Communications and radio play-by-play voice for the Texas Tornado (NAHL) from 2002-07, where he called the 2005 NAHL All-Star Game and three consecutive NAHL Robertson Cup National Championship Games.
Kyrias holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Kinesiology (Sports Communications and Broadcast) and a Minor in Music (Vocal Performance) from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, where is also was a goaltender on the hockey team and a member of the Singing Hoosiers.
He and his wife Dory have two daughters, Dorothy and Eloise.
SALES AND MARKETING
Scott Branovan is well-versed in consumer marketing and employing sound business knowledge in sales including profit/loss center management. Branovan, a 25-year consumer products executive, spent 13 years with the world-class company, Nestles USA. His experience in sports marketing, brand development, market strategy, and execution involves such national brands as Quaker Oats, Gatorade, Campbell's, General Mills, Perrier Group of America, Tropicana, Very Fine, Clorox, and Nestle USA. Prior to leading the sponsorship and marketing as well as overseeing the operations for the facilities in Western PA for Black Bear Sports Group, Branovan has been serving privately owned participatory sports facilities for consulting as well as management oversight for over 12 years. Branovan received his B.A. in Business Administration from Lakeland College in Sheboygan, WI in 1982 where he was an outstanding athlete. He has since been inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame for his participation in both Tennis and Football. He is also a graduate of St. John's Northwestern Academy, Delafield, WI where he was the Athlete of the Year and was later elected to the Athletic Hall of Fame, having participated in Football, Basketball, and Tennis. Branovan was also named to the top 100 athletes of the century at St. John's Northwestern Academy and served on the Board of Trustees leading the strategic planning committee for five years.
Ryan is the Director of Adult Hockey for Black Bear Sports Group. He is an innovative hockey professional with over 30 years combined coaching and playing experience. Ryan played college hockey at Penn State University while earning a degree in Recreation Management. After graduation he turned to professional hockey working with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Hockey Operations department and their minor league affiliate the Wheeling Nailers as an Assistant Coach and Assistant Director of Hockey Operations. From there, Ryan was involved in youth hockey coaching in Pittsburgh as the Head Coach at the Sewickley Academy. He also served as the State Vice President for the Mid-American District of USA Hockey as well as an evaluator and coach for district select camps. For the last 8 years, he was the Hockey Director at Penn State University. He utilizes his organizational and time management techniques to develop and implement impactful programs while earning the respect of players, parents, and colleagues. His core skills include program development and design, player development, budget management, video analysis and player/parent education.
Julia Duncan is the Marketing Manager for the leagues, tournaments, corporate, and foundation. She specializes in social media, photography, and graphic design. She graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor’s in both Sports Management and Advertising. While in school, Julia managed UGA Hockey’s social media, where she grew her passion for the sport. She is excited to have an NHL hockey team to now cheer for in DC (RIP Atlanta Thrashers).
Kayla McKelvey is the Marketing Manager for the Western Pennsylvania and Ohio Regions for Black Bear Sports Group. In this role, Kayla oversees all marketing initiatives for each of the Black Bear facilities in the Western PA region. Kayla will be supporting local rink personnel to create standardization of marketing elements, campaigns, and dashboards across the locations and identify the best marketing practices across our network of facilities.
Kayla has spent the past 10 years at Printscape Arena in Canonsburg, PA. She is now overseeing more facilities creating unique branding, promotions, and digital marketing initiatives to increase followers and engagement of new customers and revenue at each facility. Kayla has a Bachelor's degree in Sports Management from Slippery Rock University along with a minor in Coaching.
Kayla is likely watching Men's College Hoops, but more specifically the North Carolina Tar Heels in her spare time, or she is spending time with her spouse and two children.
Jim Padgitt brings over 20 years of Sports Marketing and Broadcast experience to Black Bear Sports Group's operations team. Most recently, Jim led technology implementation projects for Major League Baseball's Broadcast Products & Services division. Prior to MLB, Jim served as Manager of Broadcasting for the NFL's Chicago Bears, where he earned 3 Emmy Awards for Sports Production excellence.
In addition to guiding Black Bear Sports Group's Marketing and Program efforts in the Chicago Region, Jim also spearheads multimedia initiatives for the Atlantic Hockey Federation and other vertically integrated Black Bear Sports Group properties.
Jim received a B.A. in Communications from the University of Illinois-Chicago and has long supported the Illinois Youth Hockey community through several volunteer leadership positions.
Mary Kate is the Sponsorship Sales Coordinator for all Black Bear Sports Group facilities. Assisting the Senior Director of Sales and Marketing, Mary Kate manages contract fulfillment and the activation of Black Bear's corporate partnerships. Prior to joining Black Bear she fulfilled roles in event management, ticket sales and ticket operations with various organizations including the Liacouras Center, Temple University Athletics, Trenton Thunder, and Philadelphia Soul. A Philadelphia native, Mary Kate has a bachelors of science in Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management from Temple University.
Alex Wanatick is the Marketing Manager serving the Connecticut region of Black Bear facilities. Alex just graduated with his Bachelors in Graphic and Interactive Design from Quinnipiac and is continuing for his Masters in Interactive Media and Communications. He specializes in social media management, photography, and graphic design.
Alex has worked with multiple media organizations, working with professional athletes, and looks to take his experiences to help grow the world of hockey and programs across the Connecticut rinks.
In his free time you will find Alex spending time with friends and family as well as playing sports like golf and lacrosse.
Andrew Coyne recently joined Black Bear Sports Group as the Northeast Regional Marketing Manager, overseeing marketing initiatives for facilities, teams, and leagues within the region. With a strong background in sports management and marketing, Andrew is dedicated to driving growth for his facilities and Foundry Adult Hockey while supporting the National Girls Hockey League and Defender Hockey Tournaments in their marketing efforts.
A graduate of Endicott College, Andrew holds a B.S. degree in Sport Management. During his time in college, he worked on expanding girls' youth hockey by joining the National Girls Hockey League in its inaugural season. In June 2022, Andrew further honed his marketing skills through an internship with Black Bear, focusing on leagues and tournament support.
From New Jersey, Andrew has a lifelong passion for hockey, playing for the Jersey Penguins, New Jersey Rockets, and the St. Peter's Prep Marauders in high school. As a devoted fan of the New Jersey Devils, Andrew's deep-rooted love for the sport fuels his dedication to excellence in his role at Black Bear Sports Group
Cari Bowen joined the BBSG team in February of 2024. Cari graduated from York College of Pennsylvania in 2008 with a Bachelor's Degree in Public Relations and a minor in Marketing. Cari is also the figure skating director for the York Ice Arena and has been coaching figure skating and power skating for 20 years.
Carly Costello recently joined Black Bear Sports Group as a Marketing Manager for leagues, tournaments, adult hockey, and rinks in the Michigan region. Carly graduated from Adrian College in 2020 where she majored in Business - Sports Management and played on Adrian’s Inaugural ACHA Women’s Div. II Hockey team while working for the Men’s NCAA Div. III Hockey team and Men’s ACHA Div. I Hockey team.
Since her freshman year of college in 2016, she has been responsible for managing various social media accounts for Adrian College’s hockey teams and has had the privilege of being a part of three National
Championships, two in Men’s ACHA Div. 1 (2018, 2021) and one in Men’s NCAA Div. 3 (2022).
When not working, you can find Carly at Arrington Ice Arena, watching one of the seven teams from her alma mater, where she continues to work for the Men’s and Women’s NCAA teams as well as the Men’s ACHA Div. I team running social media and doing statistics and data analytics along with photography.
CJ McDermott is the Marketing Manager for the Northeast Region of Black Bear Sports Group. CJ oversees multiple Black Bear facilities and also coordinates social media for the NCDC Mercer Chiefs and EHL Team Maryland. She grew up in the suburbs of Buffalo, New York, with her family being heavily involved in the youth hockey world.
CJ graduated from Coastal Carolina University with two bachelor's degrees in Sport Communication and Recreation Sport Management, along with a minor in Journalism. In her time at Coastal, she worked as a full-time intern with CCU Athletics Media Relations Department and also held the position of Social Content Creator with the Department of Communication, Media, and Culture. She is currently pursuing her master's degree from Temple University in Sport Business with a concentration in Marketing and Promotions.
When she is not working, you can find her at Lincoln Financial Field as the Temple University Diamond Girl Feature Twirler, competing in the Miss America Scholarship Organization, advocating for legislation to benefit patients with Multiple Sclerosis, and cheering on the Buffalo Bills.