PLAINVIEW, N.Y. - The New York Islanders promoted Chris Dey to team president on Wednesday.
Dey, who had been the Islanders' vice president of sales, marketing and event operations, will also oversee all business operations for the team as well as the Islanders Children's Foundation, the club's office in China, and the Charles B. Wang Ice Hockey Project Hope in China.
He will also work with the Lighthouse Development Corporation on the planning and the sales and marketing of the transformed Nassau Coliseum - a renovation project that is still in the works.
''Chris has been the driving force behind the change that the business has undergone over the last year,'' said Wang, the team's owner and Dey's father-in-law. ''The promotion is well deserved and will enable him to do even more to improve the business - the way we service our fans, the impact we can have on amateur hockey on Long Island, the leadership we show in the community and more.
''I know Chris well enough that he will stop at nothing less in making the Islanders the model franchise in the NHL.''
The Islanders had their highest average attendance since 2002, despite missing the playoffs for just the second time in six seasons. Under Dey, the team's group sales department ranked third in the NHL last season in total sales and corporate sponsorship sales set a team record.
''I'm so appreciative of the confidence that Charles and the organization have shown in me,'' Dey said. ''We're continuing to build a very talented staff that is committed to being the very best in the business. I hope that our hard work will be felt most by the fans.''