The Nanaimo Clippers B.C. Hockey League team has hired Tali Campbell as its new director of business operations, effective Jan. 1, 2019.
Campbell has spent the past 16 months with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs in a similar position.
“I am thrilled to bring Tali back to Nanaimo,” Clippers owner Wes Mussio said. “I am impressed with his efforts in Port Alberni and believe he will do an excellent job advancing the Clipper brand in the harbour city.
“To me, it was an easy hire as he has a great reputation of being one of the best business operation employees in junior hockey.”
Campbell worked with both the Clippers and Victoria Grizzlies in the BCHL in the past before coming to the Alberni Valley Bulldogs in August 2017.
“I’m excited to get back to where it all started for me,” Campbell said. “My job right away is to make sure the Clippers return to being an important part of the community and that sponsors, fans, billets and others feel appreciated. I look forward to meeting fans, sponsors, volunteers and everyone else who bleeds Orange.”
Campbell will stay on with the Bulldogs until the World Junior Hockey Championship exhibition games are finished in late December. He gave his notice for Dec. 31, but said it’s up to the Bulldogs as to whether they keep him on past the World Junior game in Port Alberni between Switzerland and Kazahkstan on Dec. 21.
READ MORE: Port Alberni to host Worlds Juniors action
“They’ll keep me through the World Juniors for sure and then will decide what they want,” Campbell said. The Port Alberni Junior Hockey Society, which runs the Bulldogs, will have a meeting on Thursday, Nov. 28 to discuss Campbell’s resignation and subsequent hiring by the Clippers, he said.
The Clippers had announced on Friday that Ken McPhalen had been appointed their director of business operations. He is also the team’s assistant coach and assistant general manager. That announcement was taken down this morning when Nanaimo released news of Campbell’s hiring.
Campbell said his conversations with the Clippers began prior to the news that the Bulldogs are for sale. The PAJHS made that announcement a week and a half ago.
READ MORE: Bulldogs hockey team is for sale
“The team’s been for sale for quite some time, it’s just publicly it’s gone up for sale,” he said. “The decision was made easier because of it. Anytime a team is for sale there’s uncertainty to what’s going to happen. And I don’t mean that about the club itself…new owners may want to bring in their own staff.”
Campbell’s tenure with the Bulldogs has been rocky this season: at the end of August he tendered his resignation, but was able to resolve his differences with the Alberni Valley team and stayed on.
READ MORE: Tali Campbell steps down as director of business operations for Bulldogs
Campbell’s first Clipper home game will be Jan. 5, but he said he has already started doing a bit of work for Nanaimo. Once he is there full time he will be primarily responsible for the day-to-day business operations of the hockey club, providing support to financial management, sales and marketing, promotions and game-day events.