Pacers Name Bill Benner Senior Vice President

INDIANAPOLIS – Pacers Sports & Entertainment (PS&E) announced Wednesday that Bill Benner will be Senior Vice President of Corporate, Community and Public Relations, effective Nov. 18.

Benner, who has vast experience in the Indianapolis community and sports scene, succeeds Greg Schenkel who is retiring from Pacers Sports & Entertainment. Most recently, Benner served as the Horizon League’s Senior Associate Commissioner for Operations and Communications since 2010.

He enjoyed a successful 33-year career as a sportswriter and columnist for the Indianapolis Star, and served as the Pacers’ beat writer from 1974-79. Benner then became very involved in the broader Indianapolis community, serving stints as Vice President of Communications for Indiana Sports Corporation and Director of Communications of Visit INDY. His other experiences have included co-hosting a sports talk radio show, writing a weekly column for the Indianapolis Business Journal, hosting a weekly Inside Indiana Sports segment on Inside Indiana Business television show, and serving as an adjunct faculty member of the Butler University department of journalism.

“I’m elated to have this opportunity to serve an organization that is so much a part of the Indianapolis identity and culture,” Benner said. “This is the culmination of my professional career and I look forward to representing PS&E’s many positive contributions in the community and beyond.”

“We are most fortunate to have Bill join our team,” stated Jim Morris, President of Pacers Sports & Entertainment. “His experience and knowledge will further our success.”

Benner is a life-long Hoosier and a graduate of Indiana University.

Horizon League Commissioner Jon LeCrone thanked Benner and wished him well in his new role. “This opportunity is a credit to Bill and a compliment to the League," LeCrone said. "We thank Bill for his many years of service to not only the conference, but to the Indianapolis community, and we wish him the best on this exciting, new opportunity."

(Release courtesy of Pacers Sports & Entertainment)