Alexis Lee Joins Ilitch Sports + Entertainment as Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer
Chris McGowan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ilitch Sports + Entertainment (IS+E), announced today that Alexis Lee has joined the organization as Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. Lee will lead all marketing, entertainment services and community impact functions of the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Red Wings, the Ilitch joint venture interest in 313 Presents and other IS+E properties, working towards our purpose to amaze, inspire and unite. Lee will join IS+E on August 1 and report directly to McGowan.
“Alexis is a proven leader and innovator who I worked with for over a decade in Portland, and I’m excited that she is joining us here in Detroit,” said McGowan. “Alexis is an exceptionally talented marketer who will lead our efforts to continue building authentic connections with our fans and partners across the world in truly engaging ways. Her experience spans many areas of sports and entertainment, which is ideal for this role given the diverse range of companies at Ilitch Sports + Entertainment.”
Lee has over 22 years of experience leading cross-functional teams in professional sports, live entertainment, and arts and culture. Most recently, Lee served as the Executive Director of the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) in Seattle, where she led with a strong focus on strategic development, innovation, modernization of infrastructure and mission-centered decision making.
“I’m thrilled to be joining Ilitch Sports + Entertainment to work with some of the most iconic brands in sports and entertainment,” said Lee. “It will be a privilege to lead such a talented team already in place, while continuing to enhance many of the experiences and traditions that our fans hold close to their hearts. The city of Detroit is known across all corners of the country as one of the most passionate and engaged sports markets and I’m looking forward to calling it home.”
While at MoPOP, Lee transformed the museum’s business model, moving from reliance on a donor pool to cultivating multiple revenue streams. She introduced data-driven marketing to identify and reach audiences, resulting in record-setting attendance and revenue. Alexis also led the institution through significant cultural change and made establishing financial security a top priority during the pandemic.
Prior to MoPOP, Alexis held leadership roles across marketing, advertising, creative services and promotions at the Portland Trail Blazers, Moda Center, Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Rose Quarter entertainment complex, Sacramento River Cats Baseball Club and Raley Field Special Events. She led the evolution of a unified and measurable revenue and marketing strategy at the Rose Quarter complex anchored in digital, social and traditional media. These efforts redefined how the Rose Quarter connected guests with its attractions, experiences and amenities that resulted in rapid growth and record crowds for some of the biggest names in entertainment.
A native of the Pacific Northwest, Lee holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Oregon’s Lundquist College of Business and Warsaw Sports Marketing Center. She is an avid traveler, revels in experiencing diverse cultures and the arts, and enjoys live concert performances from all musical genres. Alexis and her fiancé, Ryan, are in the process of relocating to the Detroit area.