PRESEASON EditiON - Detroit Lions

exeCutives & CoaChing
Detroitlions.com
Media.Detroitlions.com
In 2003, the Lions’ 2002 club seat ticket commercial, produced by
Keenist, was nominated for an EMMY, a first for any Lions’ production.
Also among Keenist’s accomplishments, he served as a member
of Detroit’s Super Bowl xL Communications Task Force Committee,
and played a key role in the organization’s public relations efforts
during several Super Bowl xL related events.
Keenist holds a master’s degree in sports administration from
Ohio University. He also received his bachelor degree in journalism
from Ohio and was a recipient of a Sports Administration Scholarship
from the NFL in 1981. As sports editor of The Ohio University Post in
1980, his sports section was named the Best College Sports Section
in America by a national panel of sportswriters and columnists, an
honor for which he received a post-graduate scholarship.
He then served a graduate internship at Duke University where
he worked in the athletic department.
In 2004, Keenist was inducted into the Elizabeth Forward High
School Hall of Fame in his hometown of Elizabeth, Pa., and was a
member of the school’s Class of 1976.
In 2006, Keenist was awarded a medal of merit by Ohio’s Alumni
Association, which annually honors alumni who have distinguished
themselves in their respective professions.
Keenist, 54, lives in Oxford with his wife Cindy and their three
children: sons, Billy and Christopher, and daughter, Lindsay. He is an
active member of Oxford High School’s Athletic Boosters, a member
of the Oxford School District Strategic Planning Committee and serves
on Oxford’s School Board.
Both sons, Billy and Christopher, played for the Bulldogs football
program at Adrian (Mich.) College.
elizabeth
Parkinson
Senior Vice President of
Marketing and Partnerships
Year with Lions: 1
luis
Perez
Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
Year with Lions: 2
Perez joined the Detroit Lions front office as senior vice president
and chief financial officer in 2011 and now is in his second year with
the organization. His role will consist of overseeing the club and
stadium’s financial, insurance, banking, information technology,
business systems, retail store and purchasing operations. Perez
reports directly to President Tom Lewand.
Before joining the Lions, he spent seven years as the managing
director at Modell Ventures.
Perez comes to Detroit with over 12 years of financial related
experience in the sports industry. He has served as the chief financial
officer for the Baltimore Ravens (1998-2004) as well as controller
for the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers (1997-98). Prior
to joining the Knicks and Rangers, Perez was controller for the
Philadelphia Phillies (1992-97). He began his career as a member
of the international accounting firm of KPMG (1986-92), becoming
a CPA in 1990.
In 1986, Perez graduated from the College of New Jersey with
a B.S. in accounting. While at the College of New Jersey, he was
a captain of the baseball team and was an Academic All-America
nominee after his junior and senior years.
Perez has sat on the board for The SEED Foundation since 2007.
SEED (www.seedfoundation.com) partners with urban communities to
provide innovative educational opportunities that prepare underserved
students for success in college and beyond.
Born in Las Villas, Cuba, Luis moved to the United States at the
age of four. He and his wife, Joanne, have three daughters: Kelly,
Allison and Christina.
Elizabeth Parkinson joins the Lions senior management staff
as senior vice president of marketing and partnerships. Parkinson
will oversee marketing, promotions, corporate partnerships,
community relations and digital media, and she will work closely with
broadcasting, guest services and youth football.
Prior to joining the Lions, Parkinson served as the senior vice
president of marketing and communications for the Michigan
Economic Development Corporation, reporting to MEDC President
Michael Finney and Governor Rick Snyder. The MEDC serves as the
state’s marketing arm and lead agency for business, talent and jobs,
tourism, film and digital incentives, arts and cultural grants, and
overall economic growth.
In her role at the MEDC, she directed all business and consumer
marketing and communications, which included oversight of Travel
Michigan, media relations, advertising, events, web development
and graphics. She had direct oversight of the award-winning Pure
Michigan campaign.
Before joining the MEDC, Parkinson served as director of
marketing and public relations for Ann Arbor SPARK, developing and
implementing the organization’s integrated marketing and public
relations effort. Through aggressive public outreach and targeted
advertising, along with the development of digital and social media
tools, SPARK was recognized nationally under her leadership.
Parkinson also worked at Edelman Public Relations in Chicago,
serving as executive vice president of the Creative Solutions group.
She developed, coordinated and executed several creative campaigns
for multi-national clients, including: Microsoft, Kraft, KFC, Pizza Hut,
FTD, Case IH, Allstate, Abbott, Pfizer, Fuji Film, Mexico Ministry of
Tourism, Illinois Board of Tourism, Bacardi, Underwriters Laboratories
and Whirlpool.
As a graduate from Alma College, Parkinson holds a bachelor of
arts degree in marketing and accounting from Alma College. She and
her husband, Frank, have four children, Madeline, Isabella, Carmen
and Frank. Parkinson has held numerous board positions including the
Michigan Travel Commission, Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural
Affairs, Washtenaw Economic Club and the Arts Alliance.