The Seattle Thunderbirds junior hockey team promoted Colin Campbell to president from vice president to oversee hockey and business operations.
Campbell has been the Kent-based team’s vice president of business operations for the past 19 years.
“Colin shares our passion for continuous improvement and winning both on and off the ice,” said Lindsey Leckelt, co-owner of the team with his brother Dan Leckelt, in a press release. “Colin’s combination of business acumen and hockey expertise is a rare mix in this sport and the promotion to president of the Thunderbirds demonstrates our long-term commitment to growing the game of hockey across the Seattle region.”
Campbell was instrumental in the team’s move to the accesso ShoWare Center in Kent from KeyArena in Seattle for the 2008-09 season. Campbell’s diligent work with the city of Kent, corporate partners, and fans over several years saw the successful construction of the T-Birds new home.
“We are extremely fortunate for our owners Dan and Lindsey Leckelt’s guidance and passion for the game,” Campbell said. “I am extremely honored they have put me in this position.”
In 1994, the T-Birds last season at the Mercer Arena in Seattle, Campbell joined the team as assistant general manager and director of marketing. He oversaw the team’s transition from the Mercer Arena to the newly remodeled KeyArena at Seattle Center prior to the 1995-96 season.
In 2002 Campbell organized a local ownership group that purchased the T-Birds and served as the team’s alternate governor for 15 seasons before the Leckelts became the team owners in 2017 of the Western Hockey League (WHL) team.
“Colin has been instrumental in the growth of the Seattle Thunderbirds across all facets of the team,” said Dan Leckelt. “His leadership in the community and dedication to our corporate partners and fans has been the catalyst for building the Thunderbirds into the premier hockey brand in the WHL.”
Campbell first put on skates at the age of 3 and grew up playing hockey developing a passion and a love for the game. During his formative years and while attending university Campbell worked at Northlands Coliseum, the former home of the Edmonton Oilers, on the operations side of the building, where he learned about all aspects of running a hockey building.
During his time at Northlands Coliseum, Campbell worked with his father, Neil Campbell, who later went on to become the director of stadium administration for the Kingdome in Seattle and vice president of stadium operations for Safeco Field in Seattle before retiring in 2006.
“I would not be in this position if it wasn’t for my father, whose guidance and support has been instrumental in my hockey career,” Campbell said.
Campbell was very involved in making the WHL Return To Play this season possible. He collaborated with the team’s corporate partners to face the challenges of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Campbell led the team’s efforts to get more games broadcast on TV to connect fans with the team during these unprecedented times when the league has not allowed fans to attend games.
“I am looking forward to working with Dan and Lindsey and the entire T-Birds staff to bring another championship to our fans,” Campbell said.
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