Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced on Monday the retirement of executive chair John Furlong, effective Dec. 31. Team co-owner and director Jeff Mallett will assume the executive chair duties moving forward.
Furlong joined the Whitecaps in 2012 after helping to run the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Vancouver. He has garnered a number of honors over his career, including the Order of Canada, Order of British Columbia, and numerous honorary doctorate degrees and other awards.
"We are very thankful to John for his guidance and support during his eight years at the club," said Mallett in a team statement. "John brought a wealth of knowledge and experience and was a helpful, seasoned resource for the ownership team and our executives."
In addition to his involvement with the Whitecaps and Major League Soccer, Mallett is a principle partner in the San Francisco Giants Major League Baseball team and is a former co-owner of English club Derby County. He was the founding president and COO of Yahoo! Inc.
The Whitecaps are currently preparing for the 2020 season, the second under head coach Marc Dos Santos. They will kick off the regular-season campaign Feb. 29 at home against Sporting KC.
