Tech Entrepreneur Had To Shift Hockey Allegiance When She Joined The Kraken
Seattle Kraken co-owner Samantha Holloway and goalie Philipp Grubauer shared something in common when this year's playoffs started: an opponent they knew very, very well.
Grubauer, of course, tended goal for the Colorado Avalanche for three years, before signing with Seattle as a free agent in 2021.
As for Holloway, she only moved to Seattle from Denver last summer. That was just after she was named chair of the franchise's executive committee. She's also co-owner, along with her father, David Bonderman, and represents the club at NHL Board of Governors meetings.
But before all that, Holloway earned an MBA and Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology from the University of Denver. She followed that by running tech and investment companies in the city.
"The Avalanche is a tremendous team," she said about the Kraken's first round adversary. "I have lots of colleagues and friends who live in Colorado, so it was a little bit bittersweet."
Grubauer's sparkling play - and, no doubt, Holloway's positive vibes - led the Kraken to a 7-game upset of the defending Stanley Cup champions.
At last Wednesday's press conference announcing a contract extension for Kraken GM Ron Francis, Holloway kindly agreed to a short interview. You can hear our one-on-one conversation, including her philosophy of "customer obsession," below.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woHwSNoaPb8[/embed]