Kim Pegula will be the keynote speaker for Penn State’s first-ever Sports Business Conference, slated for March 15-16. She is the CEO of Pegula Sports and Entertainment, based in Buffalo, New York, which streamlines the Pegulas’ holdings, including the Buffalo Sabres, Buffalo Bills, Buffalo Bandits, Rochester Americans, and Black River Entertainment.

Pegula and her husband Terry, a Penn State alumnus, donated $88 million to the university for the construction of Pegula Ice Arena, which allowed Penn State to begin its Division I hockey program. They later increased the donation to $102 million to endow scholarships and support the program and its athletes, making the gift the single largest private gift in Penn State history. The couple served as the Grand Marshals for Penn State’s 2012 Homecoming celebration.

The Pegulas purchased the Buffalo Sabres and Rochester Americans in 2011 and began construction on the Harborcenter complex in Buffalo the following year. The family also donated $12 million to Houghton College, Kim’s alma mater, to construct the Kerr-Pegula Sports Complex.

The conference will kickoff on Thursday, March 15 with a networking event in a private room in Beaver Stadium. Conference events, including a keynote speech, professional panels, and interest group discussions, will run from 9:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Katz Law Building the following day.

Pegula will open Friday’s conference program at 9:15 a.m. in the Katz Law Building. Tickets for the conference are on sale for $20 for students and $50 for professionals.

About the Author

Elissa Hill

Elissa is a senior public relations major and the managing editor of Onward State. She is from Punxsutawney, PA [insert corny Bill Murray joke here] and considers herself an expert on all things ice cream. Send questions and comments via e-mail ([email protected]) and follow her on Twitter (@ElissaKHill) for more corny jokes.