The Chris Paul Collective has named David Schwab as its first President, marking a formal expansion of Chris Paul’s growing business network. An SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree, Schwab will work alongside Chris Paul, CJ Paul (president of CP3, LLC), and fellow executives Carmen Wilson and Jacquelyn Taylor, as well as other business partners. Schwab comes to the role after more than 25 years at Octagon, most recently serving as an executive vice president of the Octagon Sports & Entertainment Network.
In other leadership news, Evolv’s co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer Michael Ellenbogen will step down next month. Ellenbogen had served as interim CEO following the firing of former CEO Peter George amid an internal investigation into improper business deals, and his departure comes as John Kedzierski was named President & CEO late last year.
At the University of Kentucky, Jim Madaleno, Exec Associate AD for Sports Medicine and Performance, is retiring after 28 years of service. Madaleno’s duties will transition to Courtney Jones, currently the UK women’s basketball and rifle teams’ senior athletic trainer.
FIU has named Jose Jefferson as the new general manager and director of player personnel for the football program. Jefferson previously served as director of operations for the XFL San Antonio Brahmas.
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Summary and outlook:
– The Chris Paul Collective’s appointment of Schwab signals a strategic push to formalize and scale its leadership and business operations.
– Evolv is undergoing a leadership transition following an internal investigation, with Kedzierski continuing to guide the company.
– UK athletics is introducing internal leadership continuity with Jones stepping up to support long-tenured programs.
– FIU’s recruitment of Jefferson brings XFL-level experience to its football program.
– These moves collectively reflect ongoing leadership realignments across sports business and athletics departments, emphasizing experienced executives and internal succession.
If you’d like, I can add a short, hopeful sidebar about how these leadership changes could impact collaboration and growth within their respective organizations.