Benner to Retire as Pacers Sports & Entertainment VP

Bill Benner and Brent Rockwood

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Pacers Sports & Entertainment has announced Senior Vice President for Corporate, Community and Public Relations Bill Benner is retiring from his corporate position. He will remain with PS&E as director of the Pacers Foundation. Benner concludes a 50-year professional career that includes 33 years as a sportswriter and columnist at the Indianapolis Star, followed by positions with the Indiana Sports Corp., Visit Indy and Horizon League. He joined PS&E in November of 2013. Benner hosts the Inside INdiana Sports segment on Gerry Dick’s statewide Inside INdiana Business television show.

"Bill Benner is as good as there is in the business and has for nearly 50 years served our state and city with the highest regard," PS&E President and Chief Operating Officer Rick Fuson stated. "We are so grateful Bill has been an integral part of our PS&E effort and look forward to him continuing to lead our Foundation and many civic efforts."

"My time with Pacers Sports & Entertainment has been the ultimate culmination of my professional career," said Benner. "But I look forward to semi-retirement and spending more time traveling with my wife and enjoying our family. I am forever indebted and grateful to Herb Simon, Jim Morris and Rick Fuson to have worked with and for them as well the opportunity to continue with the Pacers Foundation in serving our Indiana youth."

The organization says Brent Rockwood will succeed Benner. Rockwood has 17 years of experience in communications while working in the energy, healthcare and nonprofit sectors. He most recently served as director of corporate communications and community partnerships for QEP Resources in Denver. 

He previously worked as director of public & government affairs and manager of investor relations for Devon Energy in Oklahoma City. Rockwood began his career at Eli Lilly & Co. in a variety of sales and marketing roles in Indianapolis. 

Rockwood holds a bachelor’s degree from Butler University where he played on the 1996-1997 basketball team and a master’s degree from Harvard Business School.