Antonio Cué Sánchez-Navarro - Investor, Chivas USA

Antonio Cué Sánchez-Navarro is a lead investor (alongside partner Jorge Vergara Madrigal) of Club Deportivo Chivas USA, Major League Soccer's Los Angeles-based club, the only Mexican-owned team in major professional sports in the United States. A visionary business venture of bicultural, binational and bilingual proportions, Chivas USA brings one of Mexico's most powerful brands - and one of most beloved soccer brands worldwide - to the U.S. sports landscape.

Based in Los Angeles, Cué is a key investor-operator within Major League Soccer, having taken a leading role in MLS/SUM's strategic alliances with Club Deportivo Guadalajara and the Federación Mexicana de Futbol, while also attracting capital investment in MLS by many of Mexico's leading corporations.

Since his arrival in Southern California to set up Chivas USA in 2004, the club has made great strides, setting the all-time standard for corporate sponsorship of an MLS club in its first two years, as well as on-field success. The Red-and-White qualified for the MLS Cup playoffs three straight years (2006-2008), and in 2007 finished with a record of 15-7-8 and first place in MLS's Western Conference. In addition, Chivas USA continues to provide sporting and educational opportunities to thousands of young people through Chivas USA's Soccer Academies, the club's player development system and the Fundación Chivas de Corazón USA, the team's own 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

Cué's energy, vision and entrepreneurial acumen can perhaps be attributed to his heritage: Cué's maternal grandfather, the late Juan Sánchez-Navarro, one of Mexico's most recognized and respected businessmen, was founding partner and Vice President of Grupo Modelo, the holding company that counts Corona Beer among its assets; Antonio credits his sense of vision in great part to the fact that he hails from this renowned entrepreneurial family. It is fitting that today that two of Mexico's most powerful brands - Corona and Chivas - are products of this business dynasty.

Prior to founding Chivas USA, Cué was a founding partner of BCBA Impulse Ingeniería Inmobiliaria, a real estate company specializing in residential and office projects in Mexico City. Cué guided the company through its start-up phase in 1994 and was responsible for the construction and financing of the tallest residential tower in the country. Earlier, Cué spent over four years as an investment banker in a number of leading financial groups in Mexico City. He continues to sit on the board of several of Mexico's leading corporations, including BCBA Impulse and the venture capital firm Capital Integral, as well as Promotora ABC, Inmobiliaria Reforma and Grupo Ildomani.

With an avid passion for all sports, Cué has a special interest in soccer and the ways in which the sport can foster a sense of community and provide opportunities for children, while playing an integral part in the education process and bridging gaps between groups and cultures.

Born May 17, 1970 in Mexico City, Cué currently resides in Bel Air California, with his wife Carla and their two sons, Antonio Jr. and Emilio.

 

Jorge Vergara Madrigal - Investor, Chivas USA

Jorge Vergara Madrigal, investor in Club Deportivo Chivas USA (alongside partner Antonio Cué Sánchez-Navarro), announced his intention to acquire an expansion club in Major League Soccer at a press conference at The Home Depot Center on August 1, 2003, less than a year after acquiring Club Deportivo Guadalajara, Mexico's most popular soccer team.

Since Vergara purchased Club Deportivo Guadalajara in November 2002, the club has seen nothing short of a sporting renaissance. Under his ownership, Guadalajara won its record eleventh Mexican First Division title in December 2006; along the way, Chivas reached the Mexican league finals (2004) and semifinals (2005, 2006), while also making impressive semifinal runs in South America's prestigious Copa Libertadores championship for two consecutive years (2005, 2006). In addition, a new Chivas stadium is currently under construction on the outskirts of Guadalajara, while the club's training facilities have been expanded and vastly improved, and Chivas players continue to form the base of Mexico's national teams at all age levels.

In March 2003 Vergara became majority holder in Deportivo Saprissa, Costa Rica's most popular soccer team. After implementing an all-Costa Rican policy at the club, Saprissa has been crowned champion of Costa Rica's 2003-04, 05-06, 06-07, winter 2007, summer 2008, and winter 2008 seasons, totaling 28 championships in the history of the club. Saprissa also won the 2005 CONCACAF Champions Cup, earning a spot at the 2005 FIFA World Club Championship in Japan, where the team finished in third place.

Other successes for Saprissa have been a third place finish in the 2006 Cup Ricard in Uruguay, second place in the CONCACAF Champions Cup 2008, and second place in the 2008 Cup Ricard. The team has won five consecutive league championships in Costa Rica.

Vergara is also founder of Grupo Omnilife, now ranked as one of the 200 top corporations in Mexico. Since its founding in 1991, the privately owned corporation has grown from one company, Omnilife de Mexico, to comprise 30 companies in Guadalajara. Omnilife manufactures over 90 different natural dietary supplements, distributing them through a person-to-person multi-development system created by Vergara to suit the nature and lifestyle of Mexican and Latin American cultures. Today, more than 4.5 million people worldwide distribute Omnilife products in 22 countries, including China and India, which have been added for the first time in 2008. In 2007, the company reached annual sales of 1.2 billion dollars.

In addition, Vergara has produced such acclaimed films as The Assassination of Richard Nixon, Chronicles and the Oscar-nominated Y Tu Mama También. He is currently constructing the 750 million-dollar JVC Culture, Convention and Business Center on the outskirts of Guadalajara. A rags-to-riches story himself, Vergara believes in the individual's power to transform life through education and fearlessness in seeking new and richer experiences. From selling meat on the street ten years ago, Vergara now successfully leads a nearly billion-dollar company.

Born March 3, 1955, Vergara currently resides in Guadalajara, the city of his birth.

 

Shawn Hunter - President, CEO, and Investor-Operator, Chivas USA

Shawn Hunter was named President and CEO of Chivas USA Enterprises, LLC, the parent company of Club Deportivo Chivas USA of Major League Soccer, on Sept. 11, 2007. One of the most experienced and innovative sports marketing minds in the United States, with an accomplished 20-year track record in sports marketing, ticket sales and corporate partnerships, Hunter oversees the day-to-day operation of MLS's Mexican-owned, Los Angeles-based club.

In just one full season under Hunter's direction, Chivas USA made important strides. The club's sales force has been expanded, leading to attendance growth and an increase in the team's season ticket base. Chivas USA's marketing and broadcast platforms have been expanded in both Spanish and English, while the club has maintained its position as one of MLS's top-sponsored teams. Hunter has also introduced a number of innovative community and fan initiatives such as the Jerseys Off Our Backs program; the Kick-it at the Park youth clinics with the City of Los Angeles; the return of the popular ChivaTown fan zone; and Chivas USA's Practice in the Community Series.

Hunter joined Chivas USA from AEG, one of the world's leading sports and entertainment presenters, where for five years he held the dual titles of Chief Marketing Officer and President, AEG Sports. In the latter role, Hunter oversaw AEG's marquee sports events and eleven sports teams worldwide, as well as the company's marketing partnership with Chivas USA.

Prior to joining AEG, Hunter was for six years the President of the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes. Under his leadership, in the Coyotes' first four seasons, the club played to a 94-percent capacity (including 69 sellouts) and transformed Phoenix into a hockey hotbed. Hunter developed and launched the popular Coyotes logo and uniform, secured strategic television and radio broadcast partnerships for the team and created cutting edge marketing and ticketing campaigns, laying the groundwork to position the Coyotes as a premier sports franchise in Arizona.

Hunter joined the Coyotes from the Colorado Avalanche in 1996. As the club's executive vice president, Hunter's first achievement was reaching a cap of 12,000 season ticket sales in just under six weeks - before the team even had a name. He was instrumental in creating and implementing the Avalanche team colors and logo as well as the logo for the Denver Nuggets. His creative initiatives and team merchandising efforts resulted in a Top 10 placement among NBA teams on an international level for licensed apparel sales.

Since joining AEG in 2002, Hunter has also been influential in a number of major business developments in Major League Soccer. As one of AEG's representatives on MLS's Board of Directors, Hunter played a role in the formulation of the Designated Player Rule, which opened the doors for the arrival of such international stars, during the 2007 MLS season, as the New York Red Bulls' Juan Pablo Ángel, the Chicago Fire's Cuauhtémoc Blanco and the LA Galaxy's David Beckham. On behalf of AEG, Hunter also secured the Galaxy's multimillion dollar jersey sponsorship following Beckham's signing

For the past five years Hunter has chaired the MLS Business Development Committee, which has recently approved such important initiatives as the sponsorship of MLS jersey fronts and the guaranteed distribution of every single MLS game via local television.

A native of Lawrence, Kansas, Hunter began his career in professional sports as a corporate account executive with the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves during the team's inaugural season in 1988-89. During his tenure with the Timberwolves, the franchise set a new single-season attendance record for the NBA, as more than 1.1 million fans passed through the turnstiles. He received both his undergraduate degree in business administration (1986) and his master's degree in finance (1988) from the University of Kansas. Shawn and his wife Deidre have two sons, Dillon and Daulton.

 

Clem Gatmaitan - Chief Financial Officer, Chivas USA

Clem Gatmaitan was named Chief Financial Officer of Club Deportivo Chivas USA in August 2006. In his role as CFO, Gatmaitan oversees finance, accounting, general administration, human resources and information systems for the Major League Soccer club. As a member of executive management, Gatmaitan's responsibilities include overseeing various other aspects of corporate management.

Gatmaitan brings over 20 years of business experience to Chivas USA, having held executive and management positions in finance and business operations. Prior to joining the club, Gatmaitan worked in the film and entertainment industry in Southern California, while also spearheading several small-business ventures.

From 2004-2006, he served as Corporate Controller for Taffy Entertainment, a subsidiary of the animation company Mike Young Productions. There, Gatmaitan played a key role in acquiring funds to expand the company's distribution, internet, television and production divisions and eventually brokering sale of a majority stake to MoonScoop, the French animation group.

From 1989-2002, he was at Imperial Entertainment, a U.S. subsidiary of Danish group Scanbox Entertainment, where he initially served as an Accounting Manager before taking on the responsibilities of Controller, CFO and eventually President and Chief Operating Officer.

In addition to his entertainment experience, Gatmaitan is also an entrepreneur, with interests in the areas of real estate and franchise restaurants in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties.

Gatmaitan holds an MSBA in Finance and Accounting from the University of Southern California (1993) and an MBA from Syracuse University (1987; major: Finance and General Management). Gatmaitan completed undergraduate studies at Ateneo de Manila University (1984), where he earned a B.S. in Business Management.

Born Clemente P. Gatmaitan III on April 14, 1962 in Manila, the Philippines, Gatmaitan currently lives in Moorpark, California with his wife Czarina and their children Curtis and Chelsea.

 

Stephen Hamilton - Vice President of Soccer Operations, Chivas USA

Stephen Hamilton, a respected business leader within Major League Soccer, was named Chivas USA's Vice President of Soccer Operations on January 16, 2008. In his position, Hamilton oversees all aspects of Chivas USA's technical staff and player development initiatives - including player identification, acquisition and development - from the club's successful First Team to its pioneering Youth Development teams and Chivas USA Soccer Academies.

Hamilton joined Chivas USA from AEG Sports, where since 2002 he served as the organization's Director of Team Services, where he helped oversee the operation of as many as six Major League Soccer properties at one time. While at AEG, Hamilton played a key role in developing relationships with renowned international clubs such as Real Madrid, Chelsea FC and Club América of Mexico and to promoting the teams' exhibition matches in the United States. He also oversaw several non-MLS sports properties, such as the AEG-owned LA Riptide of Major League Lacrosse and the David Beckham Academy in Los Angeles.

Previously, Hamilton served as Director of Fan Development with Major League Soccer, as National Grassroots Manager for Soccer for adidas America and as Director of Business Development for cc&c management group. inc., a sports management agency based in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

A native of Hazlet, N.J., Hamilton played collegiate soccer at Appalachian State University and later at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he graduated with a B.S. in Marketing.