Ray Melcher Joins Royals as Interim General Manager

Reading, PA – The Reading Royals of the ECHL, affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, today announced that Ray Melcher has been hired to serve as the organization’s interim general manager. Melcher will assume his duties of leading the business operations of Reading’s professional hockey team immediately. Melcher will remain in this position while the organization’s owner Jack Gulati continues a vigorous and exhaustive search to identify and hire a permanent general manager.

“We’re excited to bring Ray in to lead the Royals during this transition period,” said Mr. Gulati. “Ray has consulted previously for the Royals and has a wealth of experience, a wide-ranging set of critical business skills, and an extensive list of local contacts that make him the ideal candidate to lead our organization until a permanent candidate can be identified, trained and hired. Ray’s experience includes several successful stints in interim leadership roles for companies in transition, and we feel confident that, with Ray in place, we will be able to continue our search for a permanent general manager, without missing a beat in our team’s drive for another ECHL championship.”

“I’m excited to take over the role of the Royals’ general manager on an interim basis,” Melcher said. “I believe that the Royals are an important and integral member of the social fabric and business climate of Reading and Berks County, and I look forward to this opportunity to help guide the organization forward during this transition period, particularly as the team continues its quest to bring another Kelly Cup home to our community.”

Melcher has over forty years of business experience with private and publicly-owned for profit companies and non-profit organizations. He is currently the principal and owner of Marathon Business Group, LLC., which is an advisory firm specializing in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and the sale of small to medium size privately owned businesses. Melcher also has a long and extensive history of serving in a consulting capacity for companies in the financial services industry as well as businesses involved in manufacturing, transportation, retail and fundraising and promotions. He has also served as an interim chief executive and operating officer for a variety of companies in transitional periods. He has also served as an executive coach and leadership development advisor in a number of industries including insurance, health care, commercial banking and real estate development.

Melcher, who received his undergraduate degrees from Kutztown University and Alvernia University, earned his Masters of Business Administration at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. He has been previously honored by the Berks County Chamber of Commerce as the Business Leader of the Year and has been named as a Distinguished Alumnus of Alvernia College. Melcher is also a member of a many civic, community, charitable, business and professional organizations, which includes serving as a past president of the Hawk Mountain Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the Kutztown University Foundation and others.

NEXT UP FOR THE ROYALS

FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2017

v Norfolk Admirals

Santander Arena – Reading, PA (7:00 pm)

Foam Finger Giveaway (First 2000 Fifteen and Older)

Courtesy of Digestive Disease Associates, LTD.

ROYALS BROADCAST

AUDIO: iHeartRadio – Rumba 1340 in Reading

Deibler Dental In Arena Broadcast: 99.3 fm Inside Santander Arena

TELEVISION: Royals’ Road Games are televised locally in Berks County, Pennsylvania

on BCTV, which Can Found at Comcast Reading Cable Channel 15,

Service Electric Cable Channel 19, Comcast Southern Berks Channel 965

Courtesy of Boscov’s Travel and Apple Vacations

STREAMING VIDEO: ECHL.TV powered by NeuLion (Pay-Per-View)

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