(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) —
Comcast-Spectacor has named Mary Ann Saleski, a Philadelphia-native and veteran of fundraising efforts, to the position of senior vice president of the Comcast-Spectacor Foundation. She will be responsible for managing all of Comcast-Spectacor's charitable activities on behalf of its entities – the Philadelphia Flyers, the Philadelphia 76ers, the Philadelphia Phantoms and the arenas in which the teams play.
In her new role, Saleski will bring together all of Comcast-Spectacor's entities to coordinate a program to "give back," a credo which Comcast-Spectacor Chairman Ed Snider established in 1967 when he created the Philadelphia Flyers. Additionally, she will oversee all fundraising programs established by Comcast-Spectacor.
"Mary Ann brings a tremendous amount of experience in fundraising and charitable events to Comcast-Spectacor," said Comcast-Spectacor vice chairman Fred Shabel. "As we bring the philanthropic endeavors of our teams under one umbrella, Mary Ann will coordinate our collaborative efforts of raising funds and in turn, giving back to the community."
Fran Tobin will continue in her role as executive director of Flyers Wives Fight For Lives and will work closely with Saleski in the long-standing tradition of excellence set forth by the Carnival."Fran Tobin is recognized nationally throughout the sports industry for raising the bar and setting the standard in all of sports on how an organization successfully runs a charitable event," said Shabel.
Prior to joining Comcast-Spectacor Foundation, Saleski was the tournament executive Ddrector of the PGA TOUR Champions Tour event in the tri-state area for nearly 20 years. First known as the Bell Atlantic Classic, then the Instinet Classic, this annual Champions Tour event was a major fundraiser initially for St. Christopher's Hospital for Children and later for the Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute of the University of Pennsylvanian.
"Mary Ann's knowledge and understanding of the Greater Philadelphia Region and corporate community is extensive," added Shabel. "In her experiences, Mary Ann has reached into nearly every area of sports event fundraising, including equestrian shows and tennis events." –Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
