Longtime San Jose Sharks president Greg Jamison decides to step away from day-to-day operations

Longtime San Jose Sharks President and Chief Executive Officer Greg Jamison announced Wednesday he has decided to step away from his position and the team's day-to-day operations on Oct. 1. The team said the process of finding a replacement will begin shortly.  

Jamison will remain a member of the ownership group. He serves as the franchise's Governor to the NHL as well as on the League's 10-person Executive Committee, a position he was elected to by the NHL's Board of Governors in 2007. Jamison also will remain active in his position as president of the Sharks Foundation.

Jamison, 60, was named team president in 1996 and has overseen the day-to-day business operations for the Sharks and Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E).

"I have immensely enjoyed running this franchise and wish to thank the ownership group for their support and cooperation," Jamison said in a statement. "Our team, both on and off the ice, is set up for success moving forward, and I look forward to assisting my fellow partners in a more limited role.

"This organization, including the hockey team and HP Pavilion, has become part of the fabric and culture of the downtown core, the city of San Jose, Silicon Valley and beyond," he added. "We have brought quality entertainment to countless residents of the Bay Area. The organization will continue to strive toward our goal of winning the Stanley Cup for our tremendously loyal fan base. I can attest that the Sharks and SVS&E remain in the capable hands of an extremely talented, dedicated and experienced staff."

In 2001, Jamison coordinated efforts to form the SVS&E Enterprises ownership group after being approached by former Sharks owner George Gund III to assemble a group of local investors to purchase the team and keep them securely in San Jose.

"On behalf of the ownership group of SVS&E, we want to thank Greg for his incredible leadership," owners Kevin Compton and Stratton Sclavos said. "He leaves a legacy of accomplishment both on and off the ice, strong devotion to the fans and community and a culture of integrity and passion that will carry on for decades to come."

SVS&E, created in the summer of 2000 by Jamison, oversees all business operation aspects of the Sharks, HP Pavilion at San Jose and events such as Strikeforce Mixed Martial Arts. It also manages the AHL Worcester Sharks, as well as a number of other events and facilities.

During Jamison's 13 seasons as president, the Sharks have made the Stanley Cup Playoffs 11 times and won the Presidents' Trophy as the top regular-season team in 2008-09. They've won the Pacific Division title five times in the last eight years and made the Western Conference Finals in 2004 and 2010.

Since the 1996-97 season, the Sharks rank seventh in points earned and wins (530) among all 30 NHL teams. They are tied for sixth in the NHL for most playoff series played during that span (20). Since the 2003-04 season, San Jose ranks second in both categories.

Highlights during Jamison's tenure included hiring Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Wilson, directing overall company objectives and philosophy and overseeing the recent $17.5 million upgrade to the HP Pavilion. He presided over the renaming of San Jose Arena to HP Pavilion in 2001, ensuring that the team would remain in San Jose through 2015, and provides resources to maintain the facility, which has hosted more than 20 million customers and 2,400 events since opening in 1993.