Fred Whitfield, president and chief operating officer of Bobcats Sports & Entertainment, will be the featured speaker at a Lunch and Learn for North Carolina Central University School of Law students on Wednesday, September 9, 2009, at 11:30 a.m., in the Great Hall. Mr. Whitfield is a 1988 graduate of the NCCU School of Law where he also served as president of the Student Bar Association. Whitfield is one of only three African-Americans who hold the position of team president across the spectrum of major professional sports. He oversees all operations for the Charlotte Bobcats, Time Warner Cable Arena, and the Bobcats Youth Foundation.

Raymond C. Pierce, dean of the NCCU School of Law, says of Whitfield’s upcoming visit, “We are honored to have Fred Whitfield return to his law school to speak with our students. He is the consummate business leader and a great role model for our students in how to apply their law degree beyond what is typically thought of as the role of an attorney.”

Prior to joining the Bobcats, Whitfield served as director of business and legal affairs for the Jordan Brand, where he managed endorsements and sports marketing strategy and execution for the elite division of Nike. Jordan Brand’s clients include some of the top athletes in professional sports like Ray Allen, Carmelo Anthony, Richard Hamilton, Derek Jeter, Joe Johnson, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade.

From 2000-2003, Whitfield served as director of player personnel and assistant legal counsel for the Washington Wizards. While there, he was responsible for the team’s salary cap administration and managing contractual issues. He is widely credited with turning around the team’s troubled salary cap situation, enabling that franchise to rebuild through trades and free agency.

For the past 25 years, Whitfield has hosted the Achievements Unlimited Basketball School in Greensboro, serving more than 8,000 children from across the region to a week-long camp that focuses on fundamental basketball skills, the importance of academics, and the need to take a strong stance against substance abuse, through demonstrations and lectures from high profile NBA, NFL, and ACC athletes. He matriculated at Campbell University where he earned his Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Business Administration degrees.

NCM Capital, and the Sports and Entertainment Law Society of the NCCU School of Law are sponsoring the Lunch and Learn with Mr. Whitfield.