The REPORTER
Rick Fuson, Pacers Sports & Entertainment Chief Executive Officer, announced Wednesday that, effective June 18, he will retire as CEO. Fuson, who joined PS&E in June of 1984 as Director of Special Events, moved into the CEO role at the beginning of 2022 after serving as President and Chief Operating Officer since 2014.
Fuson will remain advisor to owner and chairman Herb Simon, while Mel Raines, PS&E’s President and COO since 2022, will take over as CEO beginning in June.
“Nobody cares more deeply for this company, our people, or this city than Rick, and that above all is what has made him such a transformational leader and effective advocate for four decades,” said Simon. “Rick rose through the company, approached every role with enthusiasm and loyalty, and grew into one of the very best in this industry, and I am so proud of him and so grateful for his years of incredible work and friendship.”
Fuson’s 40-year career at PS&E was bookended by NBA All-Star experiences. In 1984, he was hired by new Pacers owners Herb and Melvin Simon and Pacers president Bob Salyers to help plan and execute the 1985 NBA All-Star Game that drew more than 40,000 fans to the Hoosier Dome, a record for that annual game that stood until 2010. Fuson led the charge to bring NBA All-Star back to Indianapolis in 2021 (now 2024), overseeing planning as Chair of the Board of Directors of the NBA All-Star 2024 Host Committee.
Fuson’s time in PS&E executive leadership included the Pacers’ move to one of the NBA’s most iconic venues. In 1999, he helped lead the design and construction of Conseco Fieldhouse (now Gainbridge Fieldhouse), managed the organization’s transition to their new home, and subsequently oversaw, along with Raines, the Fieldhouse of Future renovations completed last year. That project is the second-largest renovation project in NBA history.
“My entire career has been, in some form or fashion, an effort to leave my city and state a stronger and more inclusive place than I inherited it, and I am so fortunate to have spent four decades working for and alongside amazing people who share that commitment,” said Fuson. “Herb Simon and the Simon family have given me the opportunity to help lead this company and grow Indianapolis, and words could never express my gratitude to them. I’m looking forward to watching Mel and the staff excel and find new ways to grow the impact PS&E can make, on and off the court.”
Fuson’s passion for leveraging the power of basketball to create lasting community impact and social justice has pushed PS&E to be more intentional with its resources and partnerships in support of important causes. He has long championed the notion that success is measured as much by what happens on the court as off it, a concept that has become a core aspect of the company’s mission. As chair of the Pacers Foundation, additionally, Fuson guided the organization through a reimaging of its priorities and strategic focus following the social unrest of 2020.
While Fuson’s vision has helped shape PS&E’s growth for several decades, a critical piece of his legacy will undoubtedly be his leadership during some of the most important large events the city has hosted. In addition, Fuson has left an indelible mark on the city and state he loves through his service on so many of the boards and commissions created to serve Hoosiers. His roles as a longtime executive board member of the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, the Indiana Repertory Theater, the Indianapolis Urban League, Visit Indy, and the Downtown Indy Inc. have put him squarely at the center of the city’s evolution into a global center for live sports and entertainment, arts and culture, and business. Most importantly to Fuson, though, they have given him an important voice in advocating for the causes about which he cares most.
Fuson has been a tireless advocate for causes of social justice, community engagement, and racial equality, something he has ensured is reflected throughout the company. In 2022, he hired PS&E’s first-ever senior leader for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and has actively promoted greater diversity as a key point of emphasis across the organization. He has reinforced that component of PS&E’s community-focused mission, as well, with the result being greater intentionality across all community investment.
Fuson has been a recipient of several prestigious awards over his career, recognitions that highlight the impact he has had in the sports and entertainment industry and beyond. He was recognized in 2023 by Indiana University College of Arts & Sciences as their Distinguished Alumnus and, in 2021 he was commended by the national Sports Business Journal in their special section honoring Leaders in Diversity and Inclusive Hiring.
He has also received other important recognitions, including the Indianapolis Ambassadors 1988 Community Service Award; the “Indiana 250,” “Who’s Who in Hospitality”, “Who’s Who in Sports,” and “Forty Under Forty” from the Indianapolis Business Journal; and more.
Finally, Fuson is passionate about cultivating the next generation of leaders in Indianapolis, something he has dedicated considerable time to. Over the past five years, he served as moderator for Stanley K. Lacy Leadership Program, was a mentor for the Indiana Latino Institute’s Leadership Circle, and was the inaugural class leader for the Kennedy-King Marvelous Potential Program designed to support young leaders of color in neighborhoods around Indianapolis.