September 2, 2008

Bobcats Sports & Entertainment (BSE) President and Chief Operating Officer Fred Whitfield announced today a restructuring of the organization and changes to the company’s senior executive team. Both the franchise’s business and basketball operations will now report to Whitfield, and his new senior executive team will consist of General Manager Rod Higgins and Chief Administrative Officer Jared Bartie.

“Our goal is to be a world class organization,” said Whitfield. “On the court that means having great players and coaches like Emeka Okafor and Larry Brown. Off the court, it means running our business as efficiently as possible. Bringing business and basketball operations together under one office is a reflection of our desire to become a stronger more efficient company, while still maintaining the highest levels of service our season ticket holders, corporate partners and fans have come to expect from us.”

Higgins enters his second season as BSE’s General Manager, having already left his mark on the Bobcats’ roster with a 2007 draft-day trade for the eventual two-time Eastern Conference Player of the Week Jason Richardson, utilizing first-round draft picks to select young talent including Jared Dudley and D.J. Augustin, the hiring of Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown, and the re-signing the 2004-05 NBA Rookie of the Year Emeka Okafor. Higgins will continue to oversee the basketball operations department, including coaching and player personnel decisions, and will now serve on the franchise’s senior executive team.

Bartie will begin his second full season with BSE by adding management of the departments responsible for revenue generation, communication and community outreach to his list of responsibilities. A former Vice President of Team Marketing & Business Operations at the NBA league office, Bartie is also BSE’s chief legal counsel, manages the company’s administrative departments, and continues to serve on the franchise’s senior executive team. His leadership of these departments comes as the organization and Executive Vice President Greg Economou mutually and amicably part ways.

“Greg has been an important part of this organization in so many ways,” said Whitfield. “He played a valuable role in many of our major successes as a business in the past two years, and we wish him nothing but the best.”

“I have appreciated the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally during my tenure with the Bobcats,” said Economou. “I’m proud to be a part of this team’s early history, and I know the pieces are in place for this franchise to be successful for many years to come.”