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Sports And
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to the Jewish News
I Special
Adam Finkel
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
in the franchise and how
This
using his decades of rela
during conversations with Pistons owner
Tom Gores. The orga
nization created this
tionship-building in the
role to support the
management team, led
his
by Pistons president/
coach Stan Van Gundy
chapter that
led him to heights he
never imagined to start
and Palace/Pistons
sporting agency world in
closes
presi
team
a
again.
Community outreach will be a vital part
of this role as well. Tellem hopes to learn
once
and meet
people
from
the
across
new
role
-
run
Frankly, though, he says
that he's pumped and
energized.
"Tom was offering me
a
chance to
making
com
a
join him in
difference in
Detroit and its surround
munity.
"I have
he
from terror to elation.
championship-
contending basketball
Pistons
as
-
one
ing this
to make the
Mannion,
job.
new
His emotions
dent and CEO Dennis
Tom Gores
looking forward to
he's
job offer came together in May
a
ing neighborhoods:' he
lot of questions and will be
immersed in
being
out
there and
said. "I
getting
thought, 'I'm 61.
to know
business, community and govern
ment leaders, including those who are
If not now, when?'
"This is the right time
making a difference and seeking to posi
tively impact Detroit:' he said.
Media reports have speculated about
in my life for
whether the Pistons should
move
and
change.
a
Kobe
transition
I've been
agent
the
right time in my life to
continue to
was
stressed that it's premature to comment
on the matter, adding that the Palace "is
learn, explore and challenge myself. This
great place
a
a
valuable asset with mil
allows
c
iii
Tellem does believe the
a
pivotal
&
1
play
�
Together
Foundation to further
enrich the lives of Detroiters
local
youth, encouraging
by mentoring
volunteerism and
partnering with the vested stakeholders
in
the Detroit area, such as charitable causes,
and government and business entities. He
realizes that Detroit, at its
stage,
is in
a
post-bankruptcy
EnerCJized"
challenge of the
Tellem is drawn to the
new
role, which he sees
well
beyond just his
as an
[Gores], Dennis [Mannion] and
[Van Gundy]. I knew it was
Stan
felt
a
connection to
Gores, who
has great people skills and great
relationships with the players, manage
ment and the league offices.
'l\t the end of the
I want the chance
day,
to work with smart people in a collabora
tive way
with everyone pitching in and
toward
a common agenda
to
working
make this a leading fran
-
-
an
uPumped
a
chise and business with
unique position.
And
opportunity
individual
a
shared purpose around. I
really felt a connection with Tom
Mannion
ment the mission of the Pistons'
Come
of people and
�
� right because I really felt in sync
with the people pare'
Tellem said he immediately
around, and that can mean engag
ing with the community in ways
beyond the location of operations.
He specifically wants to aug-
organization
feel
�
role in Detroit's turn
I desired to work with
team that I believed in and could
�
Sports
myself.
an
merit"
Entertainment will both
impact something larger and
to
me
greater than
lions of dollars of recent invest-
Pistons and Palace
Lakers guard, poses for
Angeles
Arn
after Kobe
Tellem, shortly
once
photograph
a
purchased
a
50
in 2000 with his father, Joe
growth.
"There's no better opportunity or pur
pose for the final chapter of my career:' he
said. Tellem relayed how much he believes
percent
30
..
2015
an
played for.
impact on
pieces
in motion
Piston's
are
to' make the
increasing
community-at-large
because the team is an important commu
nity asset:' he said. "I think success will be
the fans and the
defined in all of those
"I'm
hoping
haul, looking beyond just
long
few years.
My
spending a considerable
in Detroit as well:' They
a
planning
Birmingham.
are
to live in
an
apartment
in
Gundy
con
career.
He
sented center Ben Wallace and remembers
game at the Palace being one of the most
energized he's ever attended.
a
addition, he became acquainted with
Detroit in the late 1970s while
law school at the
University
attending
of Michigan.
graduation, he's continued to sup
his
alma mater, including through
port
the Arn Tellem Faculty Research Support
Since
Fund created at the law schooL His
son"
University of Michigan
graduated
last year, and his sister is also an
� alumna.
from
Family Affair
Tellem is married to
Tellem,
and
a
..
Nancy
�
former entertainment
digital
Microsoft.
media
president
During executive
of
During the interview, he said he
could envision at least one of his
sons,
by an Israeli rock star.
three
sons:
who all share
sports, working
roles at CBS and Warner Bros.,
she brought many shows to air,
point
an
interest in
in Detroit at
some
in the future.
Tellem, who will officially start
Nancy
Michael, Matty and Eric.
Tellem
his
new
position
the first week in
looks forward to
mov-
September,
most
iconic
America's
to
one
of
ing
an
startup founded
The Tellems have
interactive music video
stan Van
through his
to know the Pistons when he repre
In
for the
wife and I will be
amount of time
got
areas.
to be here
and chief media officer of Interlude,
a
Tellem said. He believes
nected to Detroit
the engagement between
role in
of Holocaust survivors, is cur
rently the executive chairman
set
championship
contending team under'
Van Gundy's direction,
for most of his adult life, he's been
looking forward to playing a large
community and playing a large
including CS1,
the suburbs:'
The
"I'm
role in the
Survivor, Friends
and ER. Nancy, the daughter
Detroit and
Although Tellem grew up in
Philadelphia and has lived in Los Angeles
the business, under the leadership of
Mannion, is headed in the right direction.
cities. He
sees
Detroit
than
as more
just a
great sports town, but also a city rich with
history. Going back to his childhood, he
admired Hank
Palace
8 July
Bryant,
stake in Olimpia Milano,
decades. I felt like this
to the
city of Detroit from Auburn Hills. Tellem
and
Los
Italian League team his father
agent for over three
an
Bryant,
and his
Greenberg,
Sports
on
the
legendary
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