The Fire roster hasnt changed much for next season yet, but the clubs front office underwent a major alteration on Wednesday when owner Andrew Hauptman announced that team president Julian Posada will step down at the end of the year.
Posada, who held the post since Sept. 10, 2010, wont be replaced. His duties will be absorbed mainly by chief operating office Atul Khosla and president of soccer operations Javier Leon.
"Over the past year we have invested in building a diverse and deep management team, Hauptman wrote in an open letter to the teams followers. "In a relatively short time the club has accomplished a great deal, including the securing of numerous multi-year partnerships, a new jersey sponsorship, a 100 percent increase in season ticket holders and a significant increase in overall attendance.
Posadas most noteworthy accomplishment came in landing Quaker Oats as the jersey sponsor for last season after the Fire had gone without one in 2011.
Hauptman said Posada was leaving "to pursue other opportunities but that he will "remain a consultant to the club in 2013.
"Were grateful to Julian for his time and dedication to the Fire, Hauptman said.
Posada was the fourth president in franchise history, following Peter Wilt, John Guppy and Dave Greeley. Wilt served the longest. He led the Fire into Major League Soccer in 1998 and his reign as president ended in 2005 when then-owner Anschutz Entertainment Group replaced him with Guppy in the final days of the preseason.
Guppy departed in 2008, a few months after Hauptmans Andell Holdings took over the ownership of the club.
The club completed its 15th season with a playoff loss to the Houston Dynamo on Oct. 31 and will have a short-turnaround before the 2013 campaign begins. The Fire announced this week that its 2013 season opener will be a road match against the two-time defending MLS Cup champion Los Angeles Galaxy on March 3the earlier start in franchise history. The first home match will be against the New England Revolution on March 9.
While the full season hasnt been announced, the Fire does have a third match on the booksat Sporting Kansas City on March 16. SKC posted the best record in the Eastern Conference during the last regular season.
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