Minneapolis-St. Paul – The Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx today announced the hire of Patrick Rees to Chief Communications Officer, effective immediately.
In the organization’s newly created leadership role, Rees will oversee all Timberwolves and Lynx day-to-day communications, inclusive of internal and external communications, executive communications, and media strategy. Rees will be charged with setting strategic vision and will work closely with ownership, the leadership team, and across all departments to ensure consistency of messaging and to drive thoughtful and intentional storytelling.
“Patrick is an incredible talent, and we are excited to welcome him to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx organization and our senior leadership team,” said Timberwolves and Lynx COO Ryan Tanke. “He brings a wealth of communications experience and a deep understanding of our industry and the ever-evolving digital and media landscape. He is a tremendous addition to our organization and will be invaluable in elevating and further advancing the Timberwolves and Lynx brand.”
Rees brings nearly 20 years of experience in executive communications, brand development, crisis and reputation management, media relations, and strategic and internal communications. He joins Minnesota after serving as senior vice president of communications for Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. for the New York Knicks and New York Rangers where he oversaw all corporate, internal and team public relations efforts. Prior to his time in New York, Rees served as the vice president of communications for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment and the Philadelphia 76ers where he successfully implemented brand awareness strategies and helped lead all strategic and crisis communications for team and business matters. Rees also held communications roles with the Washington Wizards, Brooklyn Nets, San Antonio Spurs, and Orlando Magic.
A native of Washington, D.C., Rees graduated from Elon University with a double major in Broadcast Communications and French and was recently honored as the university’s 2022 School of Communications Alumnus of the Year.