Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon has named Brian Fork the new CEO of Hurricanes Holdings.
As CEO, Fork will supervise the business interests for the Hurricanes, including the team, PNC Arena, mixed-used real estate development, a planned sports book and other interests.
Fork has spent the past six years in the office of Senate leader Phil Berger, serving as his chief of staff since December 2020.
“Brian has a proven track record of negotiating, making deals, and finding solutions,” says Dundon in a release. “We want to set the standard in sports and entertainment, and Brian has the background to help us reach that goal, through our upcoming arena renovations and property development.”
A Raleigh native, Fork earned his law degree from UNC Chapel Hill in 2005 after getting his undergraduate degree at Davidson College. He describes himself as a Hurricanes fan, adding that the arena and its surroundings have been “a special place to me for decades.”
He says he looks forward to working with Dundon and Doug Warf, who was named president of Hurricanes Holdings on Monday, July 8. Warf spent 16 years with the Carolina Hurricanes, starting as a sales intern in the 2000-2001 NHL season.
Warf was the team’s vice president of marketing when he left the Hurricanes in January 2017 to join MDO Holdings, a Raleigh-based investment and management firm. Warf had served as president of MDO since November 2019.
“Tom Dundon has a vision to turn this area into the premier sports and entertainment district in the country, and it’s an honor to be a part of the team that will work to bring that vision to life,” says Fork. “Watching the arena transform into a sellout-every-night building over the last several years has been a thrill.”
As Berger’s chief of staff, Fork took a lead role in negotiations with the N.C. House and Governor’s office in key legislation such as the state budget, energy policy, health care reform and the reopening of schools post-COVID. He has also participated in negotiations over major economic development projects in the state, coordinating efforts between the General Assembly, Governor’s office, Department of Commerce, the Economic Development Partnership of NC and major companies considering a move to North Carolina.
Fork currently serves on the five-member NC Economic Investment Committee, which evaluates economic development projects and makes approvals on state economic development grants.
Prior to joining the legislature, Fork was a Raleigh-based partner at two law firms, K&L Gates and Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey and Leonard. His 13 years of private law practice focused on commercial restructuring and bankruptcy, real estate and business disputes, and commercial litigation.
While at Davidson, Fork was a member of the football team. Before law school, Fork was an assistant football coach at Davidson, coaching running backs and wide receivers.
This has been an offseason of transition for the Hurricanes. In June, the team named Eric Tulsky as its 10th general manager.
Tulsky has been with the Hurricanes since 2014 and the team’s assistant general manager since 2020. He held the position on an interim basis since Don Waddell resigned May 24 after 10 years with the organization.
Waddell joined the Columbus Blue Jackets as president of hockey operations and general manager four days later.