Xavier Gutierrez Welcomes Latinos to the Rink
“Latinos don’t play hockey.” It’s a phrase that Xavier A. Gutierrez has heard often since becoming the first Latino to lead an NHL team.
As president and CEO of the Arizona Coyotes, Gutierrez sees the massive opportunity in welcoming Latinos to the hockey rink. It’s a vision he shares with friend and team owner Alex Meruelo, the first Latino owner in the NHL.
With the Coyotes expanding its presence across Arizona, it’s the perfect place for Gutierrez to be. He leads with a passion for serving the Latino community, which makes up nearly one-third of the state’s population, because he knows firsthand the impact of representation.
Gutierrez approaches his mission with intentionality and authenticity, whether it’s expanding a street hockey program to reach young Latino athletes or inviting Latino college students to attend a game against the Boston Bruins.
He’s doing the same thing that his parents, mentors, and peers have done for him throughout his career: opening doors for others.
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About Our Guest
Xavier A. Gutierrez is the first Latino President and CEO in the National Hockey League, leading the Arizona Coyotes Hockey Club. In this role, Gutierrez oversees all business operations, strategic planning, significant organizational decision-making, and government relations for the club. Previously, he served as Managing Director at Clearlake Capital Group, a leading private investment firm that oversees $25 billion of institutional capital. Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, he and his family relocated to San Jose, California when he was a toddler.
The quintessential American success story, Gutierrez graduated from Harvard College and Stanford Law School, and for two decades built a sterling reputation in business, investment, and finance. A dedicated philanthropist and corporate leader, he serves on multiple boards and advisory councils including the Board of Directors of Commercial Bank of California, the largest Latino-owned bank in California, the Board of Directors and Investment Committee of the Arizona Community Foundation (ACF), a public charitable organization founded in 1978 that stewards nearly $1.0 billion in assets for the greater Arizona community, and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, the national organization focused on providing financial support for US Latinos to pursue higher education.
