Valerie J. Camillo is an American sports executive. She last served as the President and CEO of Spectacor Sports & Entertainment, Comcast Spectacor's sports and entertainment division which includes the business operations of the Philadelphia Flyers and the Wells Fargo Center. Prior to joining the Flyers, Camillo served as the Chief Revenue and Marketing officer for the Washington Nationals and as Senior Vice President of the NBA's Team Marketing and Business Operations group.
Early life and education
Camillo was born in northern Virginia to a father who worked in the defense industry. Prior to her maternal grandfather's death, he turned her into a fan of the New York Yankees and especially of their star catcher, Thurman Munson. She grew up in Oakton, Virginia and attended James Madison High School in Vienna, Virginia. Camillo stayed in Virginia for her post-secondary education; earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce from the University of Virginia's McIntire School of Commerce and her M.B.A. from the Darden School of Business. During high school, she competed in basketball, softball, and lacrosse and continued playing in Intramural sports while earning her degrees.
Career
After graduating from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, Camillo spent a decade and a half working for consulting firms, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Booz Allen Hamilton. In 2010, she left the firms to begin consulting the National Basketball Association as part of its Team Marketing and Business Operations Group. Four years later, Camillo was named chief revenue and marketing officer for the Washington Nationals. In this role, she was responsible for all revenue-generating departments, including ticketing, marketing, special events and corporate partnership. During her time with the Nationals, Camillo enacted various revenue-generating events including game themes, bobbleheads, fan giveaways and the Anheuser-Busch brews at the park. According to Forbes, she also helped the franchise bring in $304 million in revenue in 2017.
In 2018, Camillo was named by Comcast Spectacor as president of business operations for the Philadelphia Flyers and the Wells Fargo Center. In this role, she was expected to oversee all key business functions, including sales, marketing, analytics, technology and overall business optimization. Camillo said she was drawn to Philadelphia for the chance to oversee the arena's upgrades, including the installation of a 4K Kinetic scoreboard, new LED video and lighting systems and upgrades to the mezzanine, main concourse and suite levels. As the NHL began making an effort to combat racism and accelerate inclusion efforts, Camillo was elected to serve on their Executive Inclusion Council. In recognition of her efforts, Camillo was named a 2020 Women of Distinction. In June 2023, Camillo stepped down as CEO after one year in the role.
Personal life
Camillo and her husband Lawrence live in Philadelphia.
References
- ^ Fitzpatrick, Frank (January 2, 2021). "The NHL wants more women in leadership. The Flyers' Valerie Camillo is ahead of that game". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- ^ "Nats name Camillo chief revenue and marketing officer". mlb.com. Major League Baseball. January 7, 2014. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- Hendrick, Dave (April 10, 2019). "From the NBA to MLB to the NHL: A Darden Pro Helps Top Sports Franchises Outperform". news.darden.virginia.edu. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- Cloherty, Megan (August 17, 2016). "The woman behind bobbleheads, new brews at Nats Park". wtop.com. WTOP-FM. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- Engel, Clint (October 13, 2017). "Nationals exec reminds attendees to sell the experience". casualliving.com. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- Hansen, Drew (December 11, 2018). "Nationals' Valerie Camillo named Philadelphia Flyers exec". bizjournals.com. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- "Comcast Spectacor Names Valerie Camillo President of Business Operations for the Philadelphia Flyers and Wells Fargo Center". businesswire.com. December 10, 2018. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- Raby, Ben (January 24, 2021). "First Female Hired as NHL Pres Hoping to Inspire". si.com. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- "EXECUTIVE INCLUSION COUNCIL" (PDF). media.nhl.com. National Hockey League. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- @NHLFlyers (September 3, 2020). "In an effort to combat racism and accelerate inclusion efforts, Flyers President Valerie Camillo will contribute to the @NHL's new initiatives as a member of the Executive Inclusion Council" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- Logan, Rebecca (November 12, 2020). "Women of Distinction 2020: Valerie Camillo, Comcast Spectactor[sic]". bizjournals.com. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- Reiner, Olivia (June 12, 2023). "Valerie Camillo leaving her posts with Comcast Spectacor and the Flyers". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on June 12, 2023. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
- "Valerie Camillo". comcastspectacor.org. Archived from the original on June 9, 2019. Retrieved January 24, 2021.