Maine’s Goldberg receives 2024-25 Blake Cullen ECHL Executive of the Year Award

The ECHL announced on Wednesday that Maine Mariners Chief Executive Officer/Alternate Governor Adam Goldberg is the 2024-25 recipient of the Blake Cullen ECHL Executive of the Year Award.
 
The award, which is determined in voting by the ECHL Board of Governors, is presented annually to the top executive in the League. In 2023, the award was renamed in honor of Blake Cullen, who, who was inducted into the ECHL Hall of Fame in 2009. Cullen founded the Hampton Roads Admirals in 1989, and owned the team for seven seasons through 1995-96.
 
During the 2024-25 season, Maine saw a 20 percent increase in aggregate total ticket revenue and a 16.7 percent increase in aggregate total revenue. Nearly a third of the home schedule saw sellout crowds, as 11 games reached full capacity, including five in the season’s final two months. Having never exceeded 6,000 fans prior to the 2024-25 season, the Mariners had five crowds over 6,000, including a team record 6,361 on April 13.
 
Goldberg has been a pilar of the Maine community since the Mariners came to fruition back in 2018. This season, he has been largely involved with the team’s University of New England partnership which gave students the opportunity to research and analyze data in three primary sectors: Hockey Operations, Market Demographics and Practice Facility Proformas. Goldberg spoke at multiple student events as well as networking events offering his mentorship. He was also the point person in the ongoing creation of the Maine Mariners Foundation, which will look to bolster youth hockey in the state of Maine.
 
He worked directly with the Mariners’ new Director of Marketing, taking the lead in the team’s marketing initiative all while leading the transition of the team’s purchase from Comcast-Spectacor to Powerplay LLC. This included setting up payroll, human resources, health insurance and 401ks.
 
Blake Cullen ECHL Executive of the Year Award
2025                Adam Goldberg, Maine Mariners
2024                Jeff Mead, Adirondack Thunder
2023                Billy Johnson, Norfolk Admirals
2022                Joel Lomurno, Wichita Thunder
2020                Eric Trapp, Idaho Steelheads
2019                Neil Neukam, Toledo Walleye
2018                Neil Neukam, Toledo Walleye and Bob Ohrablo, Jacksonville Icemen
2017                Brent Thiesssen, Kansas City Mavericks
2016                Kristin Ropp, Cincinnati Cyclones
2015                Joe Napoli, Toledo Walleye
2014                Matthew Riley, Bakersfield Condors
2013                Joe Napoli, Toledo Walleye
2012                Justin Kemp,   Ontario Reign
2011                Dan Chapman, Stockton Thunder
2010                Kristin Ropp, Cincinnati Cyclones
2009                Gordon Kaye, Reading Royals
2008                Darren Abbott, South Carolina Stingrays
2007                Matthew Riley, Bakersfield Condors
2006                Steve Chapman, Gwinnett Gladiators
2005                Steve Chapman, Gwinnett Gladiators
2004                Terry Parks, Alaska Aces
2003                John Butler, Peoria Rivermen
2002                Matt Loughran, Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
2001                Craig Brush, Florida Everblades
2000                Brian McKenna, Trenton Titans
1999                Carl Scheer, Greenville Grrrowl
1998                Charles Felix, Pensacola Ice Pilots
1997                David Paitson, Columbus Chill
1996                Dave Berryman, Louisiana Ice Gators
1995                Harry Fuerstein/Craig Laughlin, Richmond Renegades
1994                John Gagon/Pierre Paiement, Roanoke Express
1993                Larry Kish, Wheeling Thunderbirds
 
About the ECHL
 
Formed in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 29 teams in 22 states and one Canadian province for its 37th season in 2024-25. There have been 768 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after starting their careers in the ECHL, including 16 who have made their NHL debuts in the 2024-25 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 29 of the 32 NHL teams in 2024-25, marking the 27th consecutive season that the league has affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com.