Stan Kasten
GA, US
Kasten was the first person to hold the position of president of three different professional teams.
Stan Kasten was the first person in pro sports history to hold the position of president of three different teams simultaneously, and is one of the most experienced and highly regarded executives in professional sports. As TBS vice-president for sports teams and president of the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Thrashers; as well as chairman of Philips Arena, Kasten has built and grown these franchises-The Hawks of the 80s, Braves of the 90s, and Thrashers in the new millennium-as well as world-class sports and entertainment venues in the design and construction of Turner Field and Philips Arena. Among his accomplishments, Kasten holds a 1995 World Series Championship and his Braves and Hawks teams have made a combined 30-playoff appearances and captured 15 division titles. Since Kasten became president in 1987, the Braves have won more games than any team in Major League Baseball and are one of the league's model franchises. Kasten has also played a key role in reshaping Atlanta's sports skyline. In addition to overseeing the construction of the state-of-the-art Turner Field, home of the Braves, Kasten oversaw the design and building of the cutting-edge Philips Arena, home of the Hawks, Thrashers and site of the 2003 NBA All-Star game. Throughout his career, Kasten has played an important leadership role in the NBA, NHL and MLB. He is a member of the Hawks board of directors; NBA board of governors, NHL board of governors; and in 2002, was elected to the NHL board of governors executive committee. The NBA and MLB also have relied on Kasten's labor-management relations expertise. He has part of MLB's owners negotiating committee, which helped formulate and articulate various management proposals and positions; and he was involved in developing the NBA's collective bargaining agreement. Kasten is recognized as one of the top team officials in the NBA, and is the only person to be named "Executive of the Year" for two consecutive seasons (1986-87) by his peers. He has served on the NBA's marketing committee, the player pension committee and the expansion committee. He is a former trustee of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. In baseball, Kasten also served as chairman of the player personal development committee. Kasten's introduction to pro sports management came as a result of a 1976 meeting at a Braves-Cardinals game with Braves owner Ted Turner, when Kasten was celebrating his law school graduation with a tour of major league ballparks. Soon after, he was appointed legal counsel for the Hawks and Braves, and one year later (1977-78) became the Hawks' assistant general Manager. Born February 1, 1952 in Lakewood, N.J., Kasten attended Rutgers University before transferring to New York University where he graduated in 1973 with a degree in psychology, earned magna cum laude honors and was chosen Phi Beta Kappa. He received a Juris Doctor degree from Columbia Law School in 1976, playing in the Jersey Shore summer Baseball League during his law school years. He is a recipient of New York University's distinguished Alumnus Award in 2003, and sits on the Board of Directors of the Sports Lawyers Association, which awarded him their coveted "Award of Excellence" in May 2000. Stan and his wife, Helen, have four children and live in Sandy Springs, GA.
Stan Kasten was the first person in pro sports history to hold the position of president of three different teams simultaneously, and is one of the most experienced and highly regarded executives in professional sports. As TBS vice-president for sports teams and president of the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Thrashers; as well as chairman of Philips Arena, Kasten has built and grown these franchises-The Hawks of the 80s, Braves of the 90s, and Thrashers in the new millennium-as well as world-class sports and entertainment venues in the design and construction of Turner Field and Philips Arena. Among his accomplishments, Kasten holds a 1995 World Series Championship and his Braves and Hawks teams have made a combined 30-playoff appearances and captured 15 division titles. Since Kasten became president in 1987, the Braves have won more games than any team in Major League Baseball and are one of the league's model franchises. Kasten has also played a key role in reshaping Atlanta's sports skyline. In addition to overseeing the construction of the state-of-the-art Turner Field, home of the Braves, Kasten oversaw the design and building of the cutting-edge Philips Arena, home of the Hawks, Thrashers and site of the 2003 NBA All-Star game. Throughout his career, Kasten has played an important leadership role in the NBA, NHL and MLB. He is a member of the Hawks board of directors; NBA board of governors, NHL board of governors; and in 2002, was elected to the NHL board of governors executive committee. The NBA and MLB also have relied on Kasten's labor-management relations expertise. He has part of MLB's owners negotiating committee, which helped formulate and articulate various management proposals and positions; and he was involved in developing the NBA's collective bargaining agreement. Kasten is recognized as one of the top team officials in the NBA, and is the only person to be named "Executive of the Year" for two consecutive seasons (1986-87) by his peers. He has served on the NBA's marketing committee, the player pension committee and the expansion committee. He is a former trustee of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. In baseball, Kasten also served as chairman of the player personal development committee. Kasten's introduction to pro sports management came as a result of a 1976 meeting at a Braves-Cardinals game with Braves owner Ted Turner, when Kasten was celebrating his law school graduation with a tour of major league ballparks. Soon after, he was appointed legal counsel for the Hawks and Braves, and one year later (1977-78) became the Hawks' assistant general Manager. Born February 1, 1952 in Lakewood, N.J., Kasten attended Rutgers University before transferring to New York University where he graduated in 1973 with a degree in psychology, earned magna cum laude honors and was chosen Phi Beta Kappa. He received a Juris Doctor degree from Columbia Law School in 1976, playing in the Jersey Shore summer Baseball League during his law school years. He is a recipient of New York University's distinguished Alumnus Award in 2003, and sits on the Board of Directors of the Sports Lawyers Association, which awarded him their coveted "Award of Excellence" in May 2000. Stan and his wife, Helen, have four children and live in Sandy Springs, GA.
2010