David Morehouse often used the term “Ron and Mario” when executing the duties of his position as CEO and president of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
He leaned on that phrase to sing the praises of co-owners Ron Burkle and Mario Lemieux and their roles in elevating the Penguins from a bankrupt organization into one the class franchises of the NHL.
In all reality, Morehouse directed most of the initiatives that allowed the Penguins to make that transformation.
Lemieux and (especially) Burkle provided the finances to make those changes. Morehouse orchestrated them.
On Wednesday evening, Morehouse’s 16-year-tenure with the Penguins ended.
At roughly 7:30 p.m., the team announced Morehouse had resigned from his position.
No reason was given for the decision, but the move comes nearly five months after Fenway Sports Group formally took over as the majority owner of the franchise.
Brian Burke, president of hockey operations, and Kevin Acklin, chief operating officer and general counsel, will oversee the day-to-day operations of the franchise. There was no word on a permanent replacement.
Morehouse’s departure comes with one game remaining on the Penguins’ regular-season schedule and the start of the playoffs less than a week away.
The 61-year-old Morehouse initially joined the Penguins as a consultant in 2004 before being named as president in 2007. He took on CEO duties in 2010.
During his tenure, the Penguins took won the Stanley Cup three times (2009, 2016 and 2017) while making the postseason for a franchise-record 16 consecutive seasons.
Off the ice, Morehouse, a native of Beechview, directed the franchise’s overall direction.
Having served in a variety of roles in President Bill Clinton’s administration, Morehouse oversaw the franchise’s negotiations with local and state government officials for a new arena. By 2010, the Penguins moved into the former Consol Energy Center, which is now known as PPG Paints Arena.
The revenue generated by a modern venue is a virtual means of survival for all major professional sports franchises.
He also helped the franchise develop a new state-of-the-art practice facility with UPMC in Cranberry, which opened in 2015.
Such facilities allow NHL franchises to offer competitive bids to host international events such as the World Cup of Hockey.
Several grassroots initiatives to develop the sport took place under Morehouse’s watch as well, including the construction of several dek hockey rinks in the area as well as the creation of youth programs.
Morehouse issued a statement through the team.
“I want to thank Ron Burkle and Mario Lemieux for taking a chance on me in 2007 and giving this Pittsburgh kid the dream of a lifetime to run his hometown hockey team. During those 16 years I’ve been lucky enough that this never felt like a ‘job.’ It always felt like a partnership – with ownership, players, coaches, staff, and Pittsburgh fans. We had some incredible times together, including three Stanley Cups and watching Pittsburgh turn into a true hockey town.
“Most importantly I want to thank my family for the support they have given me during this time.
“I’m confident that the Penguins’ future is in good hands with Fenway Sports Group. The new ownership group prioritizes winning and that has always been the philosophy of the Pittsburgh Penguins. They have experience running successful franchises and we have some of the best staff in sports already in place. Together, the legacy of the Penguins is sure to continue.”
Seth Rorabaugh is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Seth by email at [email protected] or via Twitter .
