2010 MEDIA GUIDE - Seahawks Online Media Packet

24 FRONT OFFICE
JOHN RIZZARDINI
COO SEAHAWKS, SOUNDERS FC
AND FIRST & GOAL,
In 2007, John Rizza -
rdini assumed the position
of Chief Operating
Officer for the Seahawks,
Sounders FC and First &
Goal Inc. In this role, his
priorities are to increase
revenue in primary areas
of corporate partnership,
tickets, broadcast, suites,
retail and promotions. He
also oversees the day-to-day business operations
for the teams that include branding,
game presentation, HR, website and customer
service. Rizzardini oversees management of
the operations of Qwest Field and Qwest Field
Event Center and the Theater. He originally
joined the Seahawks front office in August of
2003, as Vice President of Marketing and
Customer Sales. In 2006, Rizzardini was promoted
to Senior Vice President and Chief
Marketing Officer. Before joining the
Seahawks, he served three years as Senior
Vice President of Sales & Marketing for the
National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks
and Orca Bay Sports & Entertainment. Prior to
joining the Canucks, Rizzardini was Executive
Vice President of the Los Angeles Arena Corp -
oration, parent company of the Staples Center,
the Los Angeles Kings, and the Los Angeles
Galaxy of Major League Soccer. His professional
career began with the Golden State
Warriors where he served in a number of
capacities from 1986 to 1995, including the last
four as Vice President of Marketing and Ticket
Sales. He is a graduate of Cornell College and
holds a Master’s Degree in Sports Manage -
ment from Western Illinois. Rizzardini serves
on the Boards of the Seattle University Center
for the Study of Sport and the Seattle Sports
Commission.
KAREN HARRISON
CFO & VP OF FINANCE
SEAHAWKS, SOUNDERS FC AND
FIRST & GOAL
Karen Harrison is
responsible for the financial
oversight of the Sea -
hawks, First & Goal Inc.,
and Seattle Soccer LLC.
She is charged with
establishing budgets,
forecasting and managing
cash flow. She also
oversees the teams’
financial reporting and
analysis as well as reporting to the Public
Stadium Authority. Another aspect of this
position is analyzing and handling economic
challenges and opportunities as they relate to
the National Football League and Major
League Soccer. She also oversees the teams’
information technology departments. Harri son
originally joined the Seahawks in 1991 as a
staff accountant and was promoted to her current
position in May 2009. In 1990, Harrison
was loaned to the Seahawks from the public
accounting firm Arthur Andersen & Company
to assist in the Seahawks accounting department
before being hired full time the following
year. Promoted to controller in 1997, Harrison
was promoted to Finance Director of the
Seahawks in 2003 and added the same
responsibility for First & Goal Inc., in 2005.
Was selected to attend the Inaugural Stanford
Executive Education NFL Program for
Managers in 2003. Harrison grew up in the
North Seattle area before moving overseas
where she lived in Tehran, Iran, from 1974-78.
She returned to the states and graduated from
Seattle’s Nathan Hale High School at the age of
16. Went on to earn a B.A. in Accounting from
Seattle University. Lives in Maple Valley,
Wash., with her two labs Sprocket and Mazie.
LANCE LOPES
SENIOR VP/GENERAL COUNSEL
Lance Lopes enters
his 10th season with the
Seahawks after joining
the team March 16, 2001.
Lopes administers the
legal affairs for the
Seahawks, Sounders FC
and First & Goal Inc. He
also handles special projects
for the organization,
including the construction
of VMAC, the club’s headquarters and development
of the Theater in the Qwest Field Event
Center. From 2003-05 Lopes headed up the
Corporate Partnerships Department for the
Seahawks. Prior to joining the Seahawks, he
served seven years as general counsel for the
Green Bay Packers from 1993-2000, adding the
title of Assistant Vice President from 1998-99
and Vice President from 1999-2000, during
which time, his duties primarily involved salary
cap administration and player contract negotiations.
In 2000, he left the Packers to serve on
the original management team of StubHub.
Prior to working for the Packers, he worked at
the law firms Helsell, Fetterman, et. al. in
Seattle and Cades, Schutte, et. al. in Honolulu.
A graduate from the University of Oregon
School of Law in 1989, he obtained a bachelor’s
degree from Linfield College in 1985. He played
tight end on the 1982 and 1984 NAIA national
championship Linfield College football teams.