SIJHL Hires Dean Thibodeau As New Commissioner

For immediate release. Friday, August 2nd, 2024

PRESS RELEASE: The SIJHL Board of Governors is pleased to announce the hiring of its new Commissioner, Dean Thibodeau, effective immediately.

Dean joins the league following his time as the Associate Commissioner, Hockey Operations with the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA – Women’s Hockey) and Assistant Commissioner of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA – Men’s Hockey) in Bloomington, MN. In his role as Associate Commissioner he managed the WCHA’s budget, accounting and payroll, vendor contracts and Association office operations. He also served as director of the men’s postseason tournament and the women’s WCHA Final Face Off championship.

Thibodeau is described as a results-driven sports management professional with a proven track record of nurturing continuous growth and administrative success. He is adept at fostering collaboration among partners and maximizing it for the benefit of all parties. A progressive problem-solver and strategic thinker who strives toward achieving operational efficiency.

With the start of the 2024/25 season set to begin in September, Thibodeau is settling into his new role, “I am honoured and excited to serve as the next Commissioner of the SIJHL as we continue to grow the brand and expand the exposure of our players, teams, and communities. I would like to thank the Board of Governors for their diligence throughout the hiring process. The passionate commitment to the league is evident and I look forward to leading all the teams toward success in reaching our collective goals.”

“The league is grateful to have had a wealth of qualified candidates for this position, and we are thrilled to have Dean as the successful applicant. Dean’s resume and experience lend themselves ideally to this role and we look forward to a long relationship and the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the SIJHL.” Mike Sveinson, Vice-Chair, SIJHL Board of Governors

Thibodeau holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Bowling Green State University and brings with him over 15 years of hockey administration experience.

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