TOM GARRITY
Vice President, Corporate Sales and Service
President, Minnesota Swarm
Garrity enters his second season as President & Governor of the Minnesota Swarm. He is in his first season as Vice President of Corporate Sales and Service for Minnesota Sports and Entertainment (MSE). In this role, Garrity continues his duties as President of the Houston Aeros hockey club, the primary developmental affiliate of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild and will also be responsible for overseeing the Wild’s Corporate Sales and Service and Suite Sales and Service projects.
Garrity, 44 (1/8/64), was named NLL Executive of the Year for 2006-07, after increasing average Swarm attendance by more than 1,000 fans per game, and, during Minnesota’s April 14 season finale against the Arizona Sting, he helped the franchise establish a new club record for single-game attendance by drawing a turnout of 14,144 fans to Xcel Energy Center. For the record, the Swarm raised overall attendance some 12 percent to 9,500 per game—the second-largest increase across the board based on annual crowd numbers from the previous season. In fact, significant spikes in attendance have been one of Garrity’s staples since beginning his position with the Aeros in July 2003. Under his direction, the Aeros have seen an increase in attendance during each of the past five seasons, including a 10.8 percent ticket-selling boost in 2006-07. Since Houston endured a franchise-low average attendance of 5,124 in the Calder Cup season of 2002-03—the year before Garrity arrived on the scene—the Aeros have increased their attendance by 25.3 percent to 6,422 per game in 2006-07.
Prior to joining the Aeros, Garrity most recently served as Team President of the AHL’s Cincinnati Mighty Ducks. He was named the second President in franchise history on May 4, 2001, after spending the previous two seasons as the club’s Senior Vice President. In his first season as President in 2001-02, the Mighty Ducks attracted a franchise-record 218,384 fans. In 2002-03, Cincinnati established franchise records in sponsorship, season ticket and group sales. His successful 15-year career in sports administration and sales has included occupation with the NHL’s Minnesota North Stars and Dallas Stars, the National Basketball Association’s Minnesota Timberwolves, Major League Soccer’s San Jose Clash and at the collegiate level with the University of Minnesota.
The University of Wisconsin at Platteville graduate is a native of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. Garrity and his wife, Gina, have two daughters, Caitlyn and Ciera, and a son, Connor. The family resides in Stillwater, Minnesota.
