Islanders president Travis Williams leaving to run Pirates
Islanders president of business operations Travis Williams is leaving to run the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to a source. Williams was hired 11 months ago to oversee preparations for the new arena at Belmont Park.
The Pirates have scheduled a news conference to introduce the team's new president on Monday.
An Islanders spokesman did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
Williams, who spent the majority of his career in Pittsburgh before joining the Islanders, was hired because of his experience in the building of the Pirates’ PNC Park and the Penguins’ PPG Paints Arena. Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky said last November that Williams’ experience would go a long way in providing “an unparalleled experience” for Belmont attendees.
“That's essentially why I was brought here,” Williams said in January at a Belmont public hearing in Elmont, “because we've had that success in Pittsburgh in doing this and we want to do that same thing as well for the Long Island community as well.”
Before the Islanders, Williams was chief operating officer of the Penguins for eight years and also was outside counsel to the Pirates for 12 years before that. With the Pirates, Williams replaces Frank Coonelly, who was let go Monday after 12 years as team president.
Jim Baumbach is an award-winning investigative reporter at Newsday, where he has worked since 1998. He spent two decades in the sports department, where he covered every professional team and league, including events such as the Super Bowl and World Series.
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