David Morehouse

David Morehouse (born 1960)^[1] is President and Chief Executive Officer of Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League.^[2][3] He previously worked in politics as a member of the Clinton Administration, and on the presidential campaigns of Al Gore and John Kerry.

Morehouse grew up in the Beechview neighborhood of Pittsburgh. He graduated from South Hills Catholic High School in 1978. He went to work as a boilermaker until a construction-site injury landed him in the hospital and changed his outlook and career path. He enrolled at the Community College of Allegheny County, earned an associate degree in general studies, and attended Duquesne University while working for the Allegheny County Register of Wills office. In 1992, he volunteered to work on Bill Clinton's presidential campaign.

Morehouse first worked as a volunteer motorcade driver for the campaign and then was hired as a paid member of the advance team. When Clinton was elected President, Morehouse became part of the inauguration committee. He soon landed jobs in the legislative affairs department at the Pentagon, and at the Office of National Drug Control Policy before joining the White House staff as President Clinton’s deputy director of Advance. Following Clinton’s re-election in 1996, Morehouse left politics to work for D.A.R.E. Drug Abuse Resistance Education and then went back to school, earning a master's degree Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government and earned a Master of Public Administration degree.

Presidential campaigns

Morehouse returned to the political world in 1999 when Vice President Al Gore.^[4] hired him as trip director and senior counselor for his presidential campaign. On election night, it was Morehouse who was tasked to physically stop Gore from going on stage to concede at Nashville’s War Memorial. Gore’s Republican opponent, George W. Bush, was declared the winner following a recount and legal battle.

In 2003, Morehouse joined John Kerry's presidential campaign staff, first serving as communications director and eventually becoming senior advisor and traveling chief of staff. It was only after Kerry’s close election loss to the incumbent President Bush that Morehouse moved into the sports world.

Sports management

His hometown Pittsburgh Penguins hired Morehouse as senior consultant in December 2004. He was assigned to help the team get a new arena deal and did the job so well that owners Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle decided to add him to their executive management team. Morehouse was named president of Penguins in 2007 and added the dual role of Chief Executive Officer when the team’s new arena, new arena project, opened in 2010.

Morehouse reshaped the Penguins’ image and strategic vision with an emphasis on branding, fan relations, youth marketing, community interaction, corporate outreach and innovative technology. The Penguins have sold out every game for seven-plus seasons and have led all U.S.-based NHL teams in local TV ratings for six straight seasons. The team also is among the league leaders in social media engagement. Under Morehouse, the Penguins began having players personally deliver season tickets to fans’ homes and made a huge commitment to growing youth hockey.

Personal life

Morehouse and his wife, Vanessa, have four children and live in Sewickley.

References