RALEIGH, NC – Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced the formation of the 2011 NHL All-Star Weekend Local Organizing Committee. The group of 27 civic and business leaders will work to put together the events surrounding the 58th NHL All-Star Game, to be held at the RBC Center on Sunday, Jan. 30, 2011.

Scott Dupree, Vice President for Sports Marketing for the Greater Raleigh Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Alison Barnwell, Executive Director of the Greater Raleigh Sports Council, will serve as co-chairs for the committee.

The 2011 All-Star Game will mark the fourth time that the Hurricanes have hosted a major NHL event, as the team hosted the Stanley Cup Final in 2002 and 2006, as well as the NHL Entry Draft in 2004. It marks just the second major-league All-Star Game to take place in North Carolina, as Charlotte hosted the 1991 NBA All-Star Game.

2011 NHL All-Star Weekend Local Organizing Committee 

CO-CHAIRS

• Scott Dupree, Vice-President for Sports Marketing, Greater Raleigh Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Alison Barnwell, Executive Director, Greater Raleigh Sports Council

• Mike Bajorek, Assistant Town Manager, Town of Cary
• Jim Ballweg, Senior Director of Corporate Sponsorships, Carolina Hurricanes
• Mary-Ann Baldwin, Representative, Raleigh City Council
• Brandi Barnhart, Public Space Manager, Downtown Raleigh Alliance
• Tori Collins, Assistant Director of Sports Marketing, Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Teresa Damiano, Director of Marketing, Customer Service & Organizational Support, RDU Airport Authority
• Tom Dillon, Assistant Director of Sales, Sheraton Raleigh Hotel
• Dennis Edwards, Senior Sales Manager, Marriott City Center
• Ken Eudy, CEO, Capstrat
• Ellen Fragola, Marketing & Special Events Manager, Downtown Raleigh Alliance
• Felicia Gressette, VP for Marketing & Community Publishing, The News & Observer Publishing Company
• Charlene Grunwaldt, Publisher, Triangle Business Journal
• Tony Gurley, Chairman, Wake County Board of Commissioners
• Jim Lavery, General Manager, Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts
• Brian Maloney, General Manager, 99.9 The Fan, ESPN Radio & 620 The Buzz
• Tom McCormick, Chairman, Centennial Authority
• Mike McElvaney, Deputy Director for Operations, RDU Airport Authority
• Laurie Okun, Director of Sales & Marketing, Raleigh Convention Center
• Dave Olsen, VP/General Manager, RBC Center, Carolina Hurricanes/RBC Center
• Larry Perkins, Assistant General Manager, RBC Center, Carolina Hurricanes/RBC Center
• Jason Philbeck, Sports Marketing Manager, Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Perry Safran, Chair of Public Relations Committee, Centennial Authority
• Molly Sapienza, Director, Regional Marketing, RBC Bank
• Theresa Tyler, Sports Services Manager, Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Dennis Wicker, Partner, Nelson Mullins