Jim Haworth
Chairman and CEO

Jim Haworth

Jim Haworth is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Professional Bull Riders. He leads the day-to-day business of the PBR with oversight of all departments, including operations, finance, marketing, and competition.

Haworth brings almost 30 years of experience in the leadership and implementation of retail operations, merchandising solutions, strategic planning, financial restructuring, information technology and tactical marketing.  

He joins the PBR after serving in a variety of senior executive positions at leading companies, including most recently Executive Vice President, President of Retail Services and the Transformation Officer for Sears Holding Corporation and its Sears and Kmart units. He previously was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Wal-Mart Stores, Executive Vice President of Operations for Sam's Club and Chairman, and President & CEO of China's Lotus Supercenters.

Richard H. Patterson
PBR Board of Directors

Richard H. Patterson

Prior to co-founding Spire Capital, Rick co-founded Waller-Sutton Media Partners, a private equity fund focused on the media and communications industries. Prior to Waller-Sutton, Rick was a partner at Waller Capital Corporation and was responsible for providing merger and acquisition, as well as equity and debt capital private placement advisory services to the media and communications industry. Prior to joining Waller Capital, Rick was a banking officer at Mellon Bank, where he provided debt capital to media and communications companies. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Holy Cross College and a Master of Business Administration degree from Columbia University. Rick is a Board Member of Professional Bull Riders, Inc. and is a Director of SkyMall, Inc and Ariston Global LLC. He was formerly the Chairman of Highline Media LLC and a Director of Horizon Telecom, Inc (parent of Vivax, Inc.), Inflow, Inc., iNNERHOST, Inc., KMC Telecom Holdings, Inc., and Regent Communications, Inc.

Sean White
PBR Board of Directors

Sean White

Sean joined Spire Capital as a Principal at the time of its formation in 2000. At Spire, Sean focuses on sourcing and leading transactions, developing industry and executive relationships, as well as investor relations. Sean spends significant time in the business services, information services, software and media sectors.

Prior to joining Spire Capital, Sean served as a Vice President at Waller-Sutton Media Partners. He was previously at Waller Capital Corporation, providing merger and acquisition advisory services to the media and communications industries. Prior to Waller Capital, Sean spent three years in Arthur Andersen's Valuation Services Consulting Group focusing on media and communications assignments.

He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Binghamton University and a Master of Business Administration degree from New York University. Sean also received his Chartered Financial Analyst ("CFA") designation in 1996.

Sean is currently the Chairman of AssetNation, Inc., Carpathia Hosting, Inc. and Velocity Technology Solutions, Inc. and a Director of Certiport, Inc. and the Professional Bull Riders, Inc. He was formerly a Director of iNNERHOST, Inc., SkyMall, Inc. and Highline Media LLC..

David K. Schaible
PBR Board of Directors

David K. Schaible

David is a Principal at Spire Capital and joined the firm in 2001. David previously served as a Financial Analyst at Bear, Stearns & Co. in the Financial Sponsors Group. While at Bear Stearns, David focused primarily on the media, technology and communications services sectors and was responsible for valuation and financial analyses for leveraged buyouts, debt and equity financings, mergers and acquisitions and advisory. David received a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Indiana University. David is currently a Director of Ariston Global LLC and Professional Bull Riders, Inc. He was formerly a Board Observer at Highline Media LLC.

Thomas L. Teague
PBR Board of Directors

Thomas L. Teague

Thomas L. Teague, president and majority owner of Salem Holding Company, is a native of Burlington, North Carolina. Mr. Teague began his business career with Southern Bell Telephone Company, where he was employed in marketing. In 1966, Mr. Teague joined Salem Equipment Leasing Company to start the full service leasing operation which subsequently became Salem Leasing Corporation. Salem Leasing Corporation and Salem Carriers, Inc., which is engaged in full service truck leasing and dedicated contract carriage, are wholly owned subsidiaries of Salem Holding Company.

Mr. Teague is also a partner in Invemed Associates, a New York investment banking firm. He is a stockholder and director of Professional Bull Riders, Inc. Mr. Teague is active in the National Truck Leasing System, having served as chairman and as a director. He has previously served on the boards of Baby Superstore, the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, the American Bucking Bulls, Inc., and the Winston-Salem boards of Bank of America and First Union National Bank. He also served as a member of the Board of Visitors of the Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. He is a life member of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, the Safari Club International, the National Rifle Association, the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep, and the Grand Slam Club.

Mr. Teague and his wife Penny live in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He owns ranches in Graham, North Carolina, Leon, Iowa, Artesia Wells, Texas, and Crystal City, Texas. He has three sons.

Randy Bernard
PBR Board Advisor

Randy Bernard

Randy Bernard joined Professional Bull Riders, Inc. as CEO in August of 1995. As CEO, Bernard shared the vision of the founding members of the organization, twenty one bull riders that broke away from rodeo to revolutionize bull riding and establish it as a stand alone sport. Bernard worked in tandem with the founding members to develop and guide the PBR brand, and the sport itself, through several stages of growth. In a short twelve years under Bernard's leadership, the PBR has become one of the fastest growing sports properties in North America, providing opportunities to bull riders that only existed in the imagination of the founding members. In April 2007, Bernard successfully executed a merger between Professional Bull Riders, Inc. and Spire Capital Partners, a New York based private equity firm. The merger allowed the founding members and other bull riding shareholders to capitalize on their vision, dedication and commitment while maintaining a significant equity stake in the organization. Bernard attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and spent six years in the marketing and entertainment department of the California Mid State Fair prior to joining the PBR. Bernard has three children, Priscilla, Ryan and Alexandria, and is married to Cameo Kneuer, a fitness expert and television personality.

Ty Murray
PBR Board Advisor

Ty Murray

Ty Murray, commonly referred to as the "King of the Cowboys," had served on the PBR's board since the beginning. Murray has seven PRCA World Champion all-around titles and two PRCA World Champion Bull Rider titles to his credit, and was inducted into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2000. He was awarded the PBR's Ring of Honor in 2002. From youth to high school to the collegiate and professional ranks, Murray has been a champion at every level of rodeo competition.

In the spring of 2002, Murray made the life-changing decision to retire from bull riding. However, his vast knowledge of the sport of professional bull riding and experience in the rodeo industry make him a tremendous asset to the PBR. Murray resides on his ranch in Stephenville, Texas.

Cody Lambert
PBR Board Advisor

Cody Lambert

Prior to Spire Capital investing into the PBR April of 2007, Cody Lambert served as vice president of the PBR board of directors. He remains the organization's livestock director. Cody takes pride in bringing in the best contractors from all over the country and ensuring that the highest caliber of bucking bulls is selected to compete in each PBR Built Ford Tough Series event. After the 1996 PBR World Finals, he retired from competition and was awarded the PBR Ring of Honor for his countless contributions to the sport of bull riding.

Lambert's list of accomplishments include qualifying for three PBR World Finals and making 10 out of 16 NFR rodeo appearances during his professional career in bull riding and saddle bronc riding. Cody makes his home in Merkel, Texas, with his wife Leanne and son Riley.

Sean Gleason
President /
Chief Operating Officer

Sean Gleason

Gleason's 22 years in the sports and entertainment industry have garnered a host of honors and earned recognition from major players in athletics, marketing and business development worldwide. In his decade as a senior management executive with the Professional Bull Riders, he has overseen nearly every aspect of the world's fastest growing professional sport, including corporate and event marketing, sponsorship sales and fulfillment, network advertising sales, fan relations, third-party licensing, merchandise sales, e-commerce, media services, digital media initiatives and other areas of revenue and operational responsibility. As President, Gleason's broader executive responsibilities include co-chairing the PBR's Competition and Conduct Committees, and representing the PBR on the board of directors of ABBI, the world's leading registry and services organization for bucking bulls.

After graduating from Western Washington University in 1988, Gleason applied his entrepreneurial talents in the music and video industries, serving as executive or supervising producer of six Grammy-nominated video and record projects and six multi-platinum video projects. He went on to manage the Sierra Sports software brand, where he oversaw the marketing and business development for all sports projects, including the best-selling NASCAR Racing, Trophy Bass and NFL Football Pro titles.

Rodd Granger
Chief Financial Officer

Rodd Granger

Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Rodd Granger joined the Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) in April 2008. A graduate of Michigan State University, Granger brings over 20 years of knowledge in corporate finance, accounting, and operations. He has extensive experience with strategic and operational finance, organizational and business development as well as capital planning and budgeting. He has played key roles in business planning, cost reduction initiatives, acquisitions, and turn-around operations. As the new CFO of the Professional Bull Riders, Granger will handle all financial function within the PBR including international associated programs.

Prior to joining the PBR, Granger was the Chief Financial Officer for both Indicative Software, Inc. and StarTek, Inc. He has held various officer and financial management positions at TeleTech, Inc., including Chief Financial Officer of its European subsidiary. He has also worked in finance management at US West (now Qwest) and KPMG Peat Marwick in Detroit, MI, where he began his career as an audit manager.

David Cordovano
Chief Global Events Officer

David Cordovano

David Cordovano is the Chief Global Events Officer for the Professional Bull Riders, Inc. His responsibilities include management of domestic touring, live event marketing, consumer products and all international initiatives in Canada, Brazil, Australia, and Mexico. He joined the organization in October 2008 as Senior Vice President of International Business and was promoted to the senior management team in February 2010.

Before joining the PBR, Cordovano was the Director of Marketing for Live Nation while also serving as the Vice President of Marketing for Motorsports Entertainment Group and the Director of Marketing for International Promotions, Inc.

Jay Daugherty
Senior Vice President
of Competition

Jay Daugherty

Jay Daugherty is the Senior Vice President of Competition for the Professional Bull Riders, Inc. His duties include the coordination of the Touring Pro Division; management and approval of over 140 secondary level events in the United States; and overseeing all aspects of competition and rider relations in the PBR. He joined the organization in January 2000 and was promoted to the senior management team in February 2010.

Daugherty has spent over 10 years in the sports industry.  Before joining the PBR, he was the Assistant National Director of Circuits for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.

Terry Bassett
Executive Vice President
of Sales & Partnerships

Terry Bassett

Terry Bassett is the Executive Vice President of Sales & Partnerships for the Professional Bull Riders. He reports directly to Jim Haworth, Chief Executive Officer.

Bassett is responsible for identifying new business opportunities and developing the PBR's sales and partnership infrastructure. He has more than 20 years of senior executive experience with sports properties, including the Miami Dolphins of the NFL, Penske Motorsports and International Speedway Corp., and NASCAR Sprint Cup teams.

Kandie Strickland
Senior Vice President
Marketing Operations

Kandie Strickland

Kandie Strickland has over two decades of experience managing advertising CoOps, as well as marketing, advertising and event promotion for a wide variety of retail and restaurant industry clients.

A native of Baltimore, she has developed advertising strategies for McDonald's, KFC, Burger King, Little Caesars, and Walmart,  in addition to Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brands. Strickland earned her Master's Degree in Marketing from Loyola College.

Matthew A. Rivela
General Counsel

Matthew A. Rivela

Matthew A. Rivela serves as General Counsel of the Professional Bull Riders. Rivela joined the PBR in 2006 as Corporate Counsel, and has practiced sports and entertainment law since graduating from Suffolk University Law School. He is admitted to the bar in Colorado, as well as his home state of Massachusetts.