"I'm extremely honored to join the Arizona Coyotes organization," said Coyotes President and CEO Steve Patterson. "My wife and I loved living in the Valley of the Sun and we are so excited to return to Arizona. The Valley is a great hockey market with an incredibly loyal and passionate fan base. I'm looking forward to working with Mr. Barroway to create a successful franchise on and off the ice and I'm very excited about the challenges and opportunities ahead."
Patterson, 59, successfully led the effort to bring the Houston Texans NFL team and Super Bowl XXXVIII to Houston, Texas. As General Manager of the Houston Rockets he built the 1994 NBA Championship team. He is currently the President of Pro Sports Consulting, which provides services to companies, government entities, universities and individuals that operate or seek to acquire or sell sports properties, to design, finance, build and operate sports facilities and to maximize the revenue of these and related entities.
Patterson is formerly the Director of Men's Athletics for the University of Texas at Austin where he oversaw the largest athletic department budget in all of college sports while setting records for academic success, revenue generation, endowment growth and philanthropic giving to the athletic department. Patterson served his alma mater through September of 2015.
Prior to UT, Patterson served as Managing Director of Sun Devil Sports Group, Vice President for Athletics and Athletic Director for Sun Devil Athletics at Arizona State University. In that capacity, Patterson was responsible for all ASU Athletic Department business and sports operations, acquisition, development and operation of current and new sports facilities and the development of the 425 acre Sports Facilities District adjacent to the University in downtown Tempe.
As President of the Portland Trail Blazers, The Rose Garden and Rose City Radio, Patterson refined his skills as a turnaround specialist, while garnering national recognition for his player acquisition skills when he took over the team's General Manager duties as well.
Patterson formerly served as the Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer of the Houston Texans NFL franchise where he led Bob McNair's successful effort to acquire a National Football League franchise and Super Bowl XXXVIII for Houston, Texas.
Prior to joining the Texans, Patterson was the President, General Manager and Governor of the Houston Aeros hockey team. For his efforts, he was named the 1995 winner of the Andy Mulligan Trophy as the IHL's Executive of the Year.
While overseeing all the business and basketball operations of the Houston Rockets, Patterson was the chief architect of the 1993-1994 Houston Rockets squad that captured the first NBA World Championship in franchise history signing, drafting or trading for all the team's players and coaches. Patterson also led the club's successful bid to host the 1989 NBA All-Star Game in The Astrodome, which held the all-time NBA All-Star Game attendance record of 44,735 for 21 years.
Born and raised in Beaver Dam, WI., Patterson attended the University of Texas, graduating with honors earning a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration in 1980. He graduated from UT's Law School in 1984.
