Fred Whitfield

Fred Whitfield has been in the sports and entertainment industry spanning multiple roles as a leader with experience as a player, coach, agent, sports marketer, and business and basketball operations administrator. He retired from Hornets Sports & Entertainment in 2023 when it was sold for a ten-fold gain. In 2021, Whitfield was recruited to the Board of Directors of O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. ($65BN) where he currently sits on the human capital/compensation and corporate governance committees and previously served on the audit committee. In 2020, he became a principal in the newly created 23XI NASCAR Racing Team partnering with Denny Hamlin, Michael Jordan, and Curtis Polk.

In 2006, Fred joined Bobcats Sports & Entertainment as President, Chief Operating Officer & Alternate Governor, reporting to then owner Bob Johnson. In 2010, Whitfield led the sale of majority ownership from Bob Johnson to Michael Jordan. Fred helped rebrand the NBA Team from the Charlotte Bobcats to the Charlotte Hornets in 2014 and the business grew to include the Greensboro Swarm (NBA G-League) and Venom GT (NBA 2K League). In 2018, Whitfield was promoted to President, Vice Chairman & Alternate Governor and presided over numerous changes resulting in value creation generating more than a ten-fold gain when the team was sold in 2023. During his entire tenure in NBA team leadership Whitfield was on the NBA Board of Governors.

Prior to his role at the Bobcats, Fred worked in a number of high profile and blue-chip organizations. These include NIKE Basketball, Falk Associates Management Enterprises (F.A.M.E.) led by legendary agent David Falk and his partner Curtis Polk, Jordan Brand, and the Washington Wizards.

A “pay it forward” leader, Whitfield has a legacy of leadership in numerous charities and civic organizations. Fred has been recognized with several honors ranging from the naming of his high school gym to receiving four of the most prestigious awards made to a civilian in the State of North Carolina. He is most proud of founding Achievements Unlimited Basketball School, an organization that has served over 15,000 disadvantaged youths since 1985, and his non-profit organization, HoopTee Charities, Inc. which has focused on providing academic opportunities for underserved youth since 2002.

Whitfield earned his MBA and BBA (Economics) from Campbell University Lundy-Fetterman School of Business, and a JD from North Carolina Central University School of Law, where he served as Student Bar Association President.