ICYMI: NHL Names Jared M. Maples Executive Vice President, Chief Security Officer

NEW YORK – The National Hockey League announced today that Jared M. Maples will be joining the League as Executive Vice President, Chief Security Officer. Maples comes to the League from the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (NJOHSP), where he served as its Director since 2017. He will begin his tenure with the NHL on June 7.

Commissioner Gary Bettman also announced the retirement of the current Executive Vice President of Security, Dennis Cunningham, who has served the League with great distinction since 1993.

“Dennis was among my first hires when I joined the NHL in 1993,” Commissioner Bettman noted. “As the NHL has grown over the past three decades, so too have the myriad security challenges confronting all operations of the League Offices, the Member Clubs and Players. Dennis responded to those challenges every day with diligence, sensitivity, discretion and integrity. I cannot thank him enough.”

“As we wish Dennis well in his retirement, we are thrilled to welcome Jared, who brings extensive administrative and strategic experience working in complex security environments. He will be a tremendous addition to the League’s Senior Management team and be an invaluable resource to our Clubs and Players.”

As the federally designated Homeland Security Advisor to the Governor, Maples served in both Governor Murphy’s and Governor Christie’s cabinet and was responsible for coordinating and leading New Jersey’s Counterterrorism, Cybersecurity, and Emergency Preparedness efforts. Their mission was securing and protecting 9 million New Jersey residents and the state’s 100 million visitors annually.

“For the past nearly four years, Jared has committed himself to the safety and security of the people of New Jersey,” said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. “He has led our ongoing counterterrorism and cybersecurity efforts and has been with us for all manner of emergency preparations. Throughout the pandemic, he and his office have been a critical link in our COVID response. I know he’ll take the same professionalism and knowledge that has helped us protect the nine million residents of New Jersey to ensuring the safety of NHL players, staff, officials and millions of hockey fans in NHL arenas across North America.”

Maples joined NJOHSP in January 2016 as Director of the Division of Administration following a decade-long career at the Central Intelligence Agency (2006-2016) and two years with the U.S. Department of Defense (2004-2006).

He earned an Associate of Arts in Government at Valley Forge Military College (2001), a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at Villanova University (2003) and a Master of Business Administration at Georgetown University (2014).