The San Jose Earthquakes announced the appointment of Tom Fox as president on Thursday.
Fox takes over for Dave Kaval, who is leaving the position to focus on his job as president of Major League Baseball team Oakland A's, although Kaval will continue to be part of the Earthquakes' ownership board.
Fox, 53, joins the Quakes after two years as CEO of Aston Villa FC, which has split time between the English Premier League and Championship in that span. Prior to that, he worked for Arsenal, Nike, Gatorade, the NBA and Quaker Oats, among other organizations.
"Tom is the ideal person to lead the Quakes as they continue to grow as a club," said Kaval in a statement. "He brings years of experience with top clubs in England in addition to a successful career with large global brands. I would like to thank everyone connected to the Quakes, especially the fans, front office, coaching staff and players for everything over the past eight seasons. The club has grown tremendously and is poised for even more success in the future."
"I want to thank Dave and the ownership group for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this fantastic club," Fox said. "The Quakes have been an important part of San Jose since 1974 and now, with our new stadium and tremendous fan support, combined with the energy of Silicon Valley and the growth of the game in the US, it feels like all the pieces are in place for this club to be one of the most successful in MLS."
