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Alaina Getzenberg, ESPN
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills and Sabres will once again have one chief operating officer overseeing business operations for both organizations with Pete Guelli named to the role on Tuesday.
“It was hard not to be impressed with the experience and overall business acumen of Pete Guelli,” Terry Pegula, co-owner of the Bills and Sabres, said in a statement.
“… He is a proven leader with tremendous skills and experience in the sports business landscape. With the upcoming changes on the way in both team’s venues, we are happy to have Pete to help lead our teams.”
Guelli, who will start in mid-April, comes from his role as chief business officer of the New York Giants. Prior to his five years there, the 59-year-old served as the COO of the Charlotte Hornets. A Rochester, New York, native, Guelli has previously worked with the Bills as the team’s SVP of business ventures for over a decade (1998-2009).
In October, former Bills and Sabres COO John Roth was fired, along with Kathryn D’Angelo, the SVP of business administration for both teams. The moves came about three months after both were elevated into those roles as part of a three-person committee established by Pegula to replace former Bills EVP and COO Ron Raccuia, who oversaw the team’s stadium negotiations and was fired in the summer.
Since the fall, interim COOs oversaw each team. Josh Dziurlikowski, who was the Bills interim COO, is now the Bills SVP of finance and business operations. Rob Minter, who was the Sabres interim COO, is now the Sabres SVP of business operations.
Guelli will have big projects on his hands with the Bills’ new stadium construction — which included $850 million in public funding — ongoing across the street from the current Highmark Stadium, while the Sabres announced upcoming renovations to KeyBank Center last month.
“I just want to thank Terry and the Pegula family for this incredible opportunity,” Guelli said in a statement. “I know the importance of these franchises to the market and understand the responsibility that comes with this role. I am looking forward to getting to work and becoming part of the community again.”
