Sport Oregon CEO Jim Etzel Named Executive of the Year by Portland Business Journal
Transformative leader honored as one of the city’s best and brightest C-Suite executives for his efforts to drive positive social and economic impact through sport.
(PORTLAND, OR) — Sport Oregon Chief Executive Officer Jim Etzel has been named one of Portland’s Executives of the Year by the Portland Business Journal, it was announced today. The city’s best and brightest C-Suite executives were recognized at a luncheon at the historic Sentinel hotel in downtown Portland.
The Portland Business Journal honored eight categories of executives including CEO, CFO, CXO, President, Executive Director, Social Impact, and Executive Director, Association. Selections were based on critical strategy, guidance and management leading to exceptional performance during the 2023 calendar year as decided by a panel of outside judges. That could include dramatic revenue growth, global expansion, key strategic direction shifts, transformative acquisitions, major strategic fundraising rounds setting the company up for future growth, or other events leading to the transformation and outperformance of the organization.
Etzel’s Impact
Jim Etzel was named the CEO of Sport Oregon on Jan. 1, 2018, quickly catapulting the 32-year-old organization into an influential and nationally-respected 501c6 member organization. A Portland native with deep Oregon roots, Etzel has more than 30 years of diverse leadership experience in sports, live events, marketing, brand experiences and management. Etzel, a University of Portland graduate, has a proven track record of cultivating meaningful and fruitful partnerships, and securing major-league business as a result.
Etzel has developed Sport Oregon into a trusted organization that is sought out by elected leaders and the private and public sector. He has turned Sport Oregon into the role of a “convener” in the regional sports marketplace. His strong relationships with Oregon franchises, universities, venues and hospitality partners – along with a formidable and engaged board of directors – offers Sport Oregon the opportunity to bring individuals and organizations together for frank conversations, connections and projects, all with a focus on driving positive social and economic impact through sport.
“In addition to locking in major wins over the last year – including securing the NCAA Women’s Final Four in 2030 – Jim has spent his first years as CEO of Sport Oregon raising and meeting the expectations of what an expanded sports commission could do for the Portland and Oregon markets,” said Megan Conway, chief strategy officer for Travel Portland. “Jim’s passion, commitment, creativity and collaborative spirit are critical to Portland’s success and the economic engine that is sports in this region.”
In just over six years at Sport Oregon, Etzel has indelibly changed the dynamic and scope of the organization’s work, stewarding a new era of success and influence for the state’s leading sports advocate. From the start, Etzel began to focus the organization by engaging and activating the abundance of young talent and learned leadership within Portland’s thriving athletic and outdoor industry – along with public and private leadership – to create a cutting-edge brand representation of Oregon that delivers local relevance and positions the organization as a leader among its national peers.
Importantly, Etzel has positioned Sport Oregon – the state’s non-profit sports economic development conduit – as a critical catalyst for recovery and future economic growth. Through his work at Sport Oregon, Etzel and the organization have instilled a dynamic, ambitious and nimble approach to attracting new and broad-based events to Oregon, promoting community-wide involvement and working tirelessly to harness the power of sport for the state’s overall benefit and enhanced quality of life.
Sports Tourism
During Etzel’s tenure as the organization’s CEO, Sport Oregon has leveraged its standing as the state’s leading sports connector to attract a rising number of significant events to the state of Oregon. Through a growing network of meaningful partnerships and relationships, Sport Oregon has played an important role in securing a host of marquee events for the state, including the 2030 NCAA Women’s Final Four and IRONMAN 70.3 Oregon, and in a support role for events that put Oregon on the world stage, like the World Athletics Championships Oregon 22.
Sport Oregon also has played a critical role in the revitalization of a once-underutilized sporting asset in the city – Portland International Raceway. Through its partnership with Green Savoree Racing Promotions, Sport Oregon has helped PIR become the only track in the world to host three major circuit races, including the NASCAR Xfinity Series, INDYCAR and Formula E.
Foundation
Under Etzel’s leadership, the organization has established a highly successful flagship initiative from the ground up. Launched in 2022, the organization’s SHE FLIES initiative has blossomed into an enterprising and impactful program that has engaged community partners, Sport Oregon members, corporate partners and community donors like no other in the organization’s history. With a mission of keeping girls in the game, empowering women’s coaches and promoting fitness for life, SHE FLIES continues to grow and expand its important work to connect girls and women to sports participation and communities in Oregon. SHE FLIES also serves as a critical funding resource for many like-minded organizations already doing great work in the community, as the initiative increased its Community Grant program in 2023 by awarding $125,000 in grants to eight deserving organizations, thanks largely to the generous support of Alaska Airlines.
Notable Progress
Since 2018, Sport Oregon has realized exponential growth in all phases of its operation, more than doubling its annual revenue as a result. In addition to a complete rebrand of the organization and the development of new offices near Providence Park, Sport Oregon has doubled the size of its board of directors, tripled the size of its staff and developed the organization’s first fundraising programs. Additionally, the organization has built its young professionals board to more than 40 members and greatly enhanced its impact and influence statewide through the development of its external affairs team.
As a result of its work, Sport Oregon was honored by Travel Portland as the recipient of the prestigious 2022 Portland Award, which recognizes the greatest overall contribution to Portland’s visitor industry.
Beyond Sport Oregon
Prior to joining Sport Oregon, Etzel was the founder and CEO of the ETZEL Agency, a national brand experience and live event agency originally established as SportsOne. Over his 23 years with the ETZEL Agency, he managed all facets of the agency and built a national reputation with an expansive roster of top-level clients, including the College Football Playoff (CFP), ESPN, Nike, adidas, Major League Soccer, USA Today/Gannett, Sodexo and TrackTown USA among others.
Etzel is a University of Portland Pamplin School of Business Significant Seventy-Five esteemed alumni honoree and is on its dean’s leadership council. He serves as a Port of Portland International Air Service Executive Committee member and sits on the board of directors for Travel Portland and the Portland Metro Chamber as well as the leadership councils for Partners in Diversity and the Positive Coaching Alliance.
Personal
Jim and his wife, Carmen, reside in Portland with their dog, Sporty. They enjoy an active Oregon lifestyle, including working out, hiking, golfing, skiing and attending sporting and community events.