'Excited to join the team:' Regina Pats hire new COO

There are some changes underfoot behind the scenes at the Regina Pats.

Rawlco Radio is pleased to announce that Stacey Cattell is taking over as chief operation officer (COO) of the hottest team in the WHL.

Cattell has been a sales manager with Rawlco for 14 years. Current COO Marty Klyne is leaving to become CEO of another organization.

“It’s a humbling honour to accept this position with an organization that is really turning the sport and entertainment scene in Regina upside down,” Cattell said on Thursday.

“It’s a great organization – great people – I just want to lend my talents to that and growth will happen,” he said. “We’ve got good people and I’m just excited to join the team.”

This isn’t Cattell’s first role with the Pats club. He started his career there, from 1984-87, as the team’s marketing and game day assistant.

He also served as the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ director of corporate development and served as the club liaison for the 1995 Grey Cup construction and sponsorship committee.

“We are pleased to bring on board someone of Stacey’s calibre and experience,” Regina Pats President Todd Lumbard said in a news release. “With his background in broadcast sales and having worked in sport with one of the country’s top brands, he brings a unique skill set that will greatly benefit our organization, sponsors and fans.”

As COO, Cattell will run the Pats’ day-to-day business operations, overseeing everything from ticket sales and sponsorship to advancing the game night experience for the Pats Regiment.

“Quality products are what people want to come and see and that’s – to me – the most attractive about what the ownership group have done here. This is a great time and it’s leading the country,” Cattell said.

“You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure out that they’ve done a great job bringing tremendous hockey people here and bringing the pride back that the Regina Pats deserved.”

Cattell begins in the role Jan. 30.