In the National Hockey League’s 100-plus year history, there had never been a Latino team president & CEO until now.

On Monday, June 8, the Arizona Coyotes announced the hiring of Xavier A. Gutierrez as the team’s new president and CEO, making him the first Latino lead executive in the league’s history. 

“This is a historic day for the Coyotes and the entire NHL,” Alex Meruelo, Arizona Coyotes owner, chairman and governor, said in a press release.

“We share the same approach to business and his intellect, leadership skills, and strategic mindset made him the clear choice to be our new CEO,” he added.

Gutierrez will replace Ahron Cohen as the team’s president & CEO, as he joins the Coyotes from his position as the Managing Director at Clearlake Capital Group, a private equity firm, in which he focused on investments, operations, strategic development, and investor client servicing & outreach. 

Gutierrez has more than 20 years experience as a business executive, investor and dealmaker focused on investment management, corporate strategy & operations, finance and business development. 

As he takes part in his new role, he said he is “extremely grateful” for the opportunity and “honored” to become the first Latino team president & CEO in NHL history. 

“Mr. Meruelo and I share the same vision to make the Coyotes a world class organization that is innovative in our efforts to connect with and grow our fan base, continue to be a leader in our community, and develop great relationships with our business partners,” Gutierrez said in a press release. 

“We want to build a financially stable and prosperous organization for the long term, and our ultimate goal is to bring a Stanley Cup to our great fans in Arizona. I'm very excited to get started,” he added.

In addition to his business endeavors, Gutierrez has been very active in several non-profit, academic and philanthropic organizations. This includes his role on the Board of Regents of Bellarmine College Preparatory, his role on the Board of Directors and the Investment Committee of the California Community Foundation, his role on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Investment Companies, and his role on the Advisory Council for the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, which focuses on providing financial support for U.S. Latinos to pursue higher education. 

The Coyotes, with its 33-29-8 record, have advanced to the qualifying round of the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs, in the league's reported plans to resume the season amid the COVID-19 pandemic.