Eden Prairie, MN (February 12, 2015) – The Minnesota Vikings have promoted Executive Vice President Kevin Warren to Chief Operating Officer.
Warren is entering his 11th season with the Vikings and his 17th in the NFL. Previously serving as the Vikings Executive Vice President of Legal Affairs and Chief Administrative Officer, he will now oversee all aspects of the Vikings business operations and create strategic efforts for all departments. He will continue reporting to Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf, who oversees the football and business operations of the team.
"We are thrilled to promote Kevin to Chief Operating Officer," said Vikings Owner/Chairman Zygi Wilf. "We embrace the opportunity to promote individuals from within our organization and believe the continuity and stability is a positive reflection on our many talented and hard-working staff members. Kevin's leadership, acumen, passion and work ethic will continue to be a positive asset for the Vikings and this community."
Prior to joining the Vikings in 2005, Warren's NFL experience included tenure as senior vice president of business operations & general counsel with the Detroit Lions from 2001-03 and as a vice president with the St. Louis Rams (1997-2001). He was with the Rams organization when the team won Super Bowl XXXIV over the Tennessee Titans.
"Kevin is well-versed in numerous facets of our organization and has proven himself an outstanding leader not only over the past decade with the Vikings but also during his 17 years in the NFL," said Mark Wilf. "While our primary focus is winning championships, our organization also continues to evolve with many new initiatives focused on our deserving fans, including the new stadium development, creating the best game day experience in the NFL and continuing to positively impact lives in our community. Kevin has earned this opportunity and is the perfect individual to lead us in those areas and to create a strategic vision for our business operations."
Since stadium legislation passed in 2012, Warren has been instrumental in the design and construction process for the new Vikings stadium set to open in 2016. He has also overseen the team's legal affairs and represented the club at all NFL meetings. In September 2013, Warren's reputation and NFL experience were recognized when he was named a member of the NFL Committee on Workplace Diversity, which is committed to enhancing and promoting diversity at every level of the NFL.
"I am energized and excited to continue to be a part of the Vikings organization and to lead our business operations moving forward," said Warren. "My family has thoroughly enjoyed making Minneapolis-St. Paul our home with the wonderful people in this community. Over the last 10 years I have marveled at the Vikings rich tradition and developed great appreciation for our fans, the most passionate in the NFL. The Wilfs are deeply committed to building a world-class organization and winning a Super Bowl, and I embrace this next opportunity with great tenacity as we work to achieve our shared goals."
Warren has been actively involved in the Minneapolis-St. Paul community, particularly with child-related causes, since his move to Minnesota. In December 2014, Warren and his wife, Greta, announced a personal donation of $1 million to the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital to establish "Carolyn's Comforts," a children's cancer emergency assistance fund named in honor of Warren's late sister and designed to help families manage the difficulties that come with the diagnosis of cancer. Over the past three years, the family has donated approximately 2,300 backpacks filled with school supplies for the entire school year to every student at Lucy Craft Laney Community School. The donations have come as part of the Warren family's broader commitment in 2012 to "adopt" Lucy Laney, a school that is predominantly African-American and has 98% of its student population coming from underserved communities. In addition to the backpacks and school supplies, the family has also purchased basketball uniforms for both the boys and girls basketball teams, school uniforms for some individual students and has agreed to design and fund the cost for an on-site computer lab at Lucy Laney that will be dedicated in 2015.
Warren earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from Grand Canyon University in 1986, his master's degree in business administration from Arizona State University in 1988 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Notre Dame School of Law in 1990.
