The Official Site of The New Orleans Brass

> Wendy Armstrong - Administrative Assistant

Wendy Armstrong, 26, is beginning her first season as an Administrative Assistant with the New Orleans Brass. Raised on the Northshore in Slidell, Wendy attended Southeastern Louisiana University, then joined the US Air Force and served four years active duty at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. After a 2 year stay in Seattle, Washington Wendy moved back to New Orleans to be home in the heat with family and friends.

> Dan Belisle - General Manager

On June 3, 1999, Dan Belisle became the New Orleans Brass' second General Manager in franchise history, replacing Larry Kish. Belisle, spent his first two years with the organization as Assistant General Manager/Assistant Coach and was instrumental in helping the club reach the ECHL playoffs for two consecutive years.

Belisle joined the New Orleans Brass in 1997 after a short stint in Dayton, Ohio as Director of Hockey Operations and Head Coach of the Dayton Ice Bandits of the United Hockey League (formerly known as the Colonial Hockey League). Prior to that, Belisle spent the 1995-96 with the Jacksonville Bullets of the Southern Hockey League in the same role, as Director of Hockey Operations and Head Coach.

Belisle began his professional hockey Career as Director of Amateur Hockey for the NHL Detroit Red Wings in 1984, spending three years with the Wings before moving into the coaching ranks. In 1987, Belisle became Head Coach of the Detroit Junior Red Wings. He then spent 4 seasons as Assistant General Manager/Coach with the Kalamazoo Junior K-Wings. In his fours years in Kalamazoo, Belisle was apart of two league championships, three divisional championships, and three appearances at the USA Hockey Junior A National Championships, including winning a 1993 Runner-up National Championship. Belisle then spent two seasons as General Manager/Coach of the Indianapolis Junior Ice. In 1994 while with the Junior Ice, Belisle was named the North American Hockey League's General Manager of the Year.

Overall in his seven years in the North American Hockey League, Belisle amassed one of the highest coaching winning percentages, with a career record of 161-103-29 in regular season and 23-15 in post season play. During that time, Belisle's teams never missed the playoffs.

Belisle has spent his entire life in hockey following his father, Dan, Sr.'s footsteps. The senior Belisle has been with the NHL Detroit Red Wings for the past 17 years, and was apart of their 1997 and 1998 Stanley Cup Championships as Director of NHL Scouting.

Belisle is 36 and resides in New Orleans.

> Amy Boyle - Director of Promotions

With five years experience in sports marketing and public relations, Amy M. Boyle enters her first season with the Brass. At 25, she joins the club as director of promotions, coordinating corporate sponsorships and promotions for the team.

Previously, Amy worked at Lousiana State University’s Department of Athletics and University of New Orleans Athletics in marketing and promotions.

Amy, a native New Orleanian, also served as public relations coordinator for the Super Bowl XXXI Host Committee in 1996. In addition to Super Bowl XXXI, Amy helped lead public relations efforts for the 1996 AAU Junior Olympic Games and a 1996 Houston Rockets/San Antonio Spurs exhibition game held in New Orleans.

Amy received a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Loyola University. She is currently working on a Master’s of Mass Communication from Louisiana State University.

> Pete Carson - Trainer

Carson, a native of London, Ontario, enters his first season with the Brass. Prior to joining the Brass, Carson was the head trainer for the Columbus Cottonmouths of the Central Hockey League for the past three seasons. He has also served as the head trainer for the Lakeland Prowlers of the Southern Hockey League and the London Wildcats of the Colonial hockey League.

He is the owner and operator of Slapshot Sports Equipment and Repairs. Carson resides in the New Orleans suburb of Harahan with his wife Tanya and their children, Jackson and Jaime.

> Jose Lopez - Assistant Director of Ticketing

Jose Lopez is entering his first season with the New Orleans Brass as the Assistant Director of Ticketing. This past May, Jose graduated from Louisiana State University were he received a Bachelor’s of Arts in General Studies in Media. Before joining the Brass, Jose worked at LSU’s Department of Athletics as a Marketing & Promotions assistant and was the Departments Graphic Designer. Jose,23, is originally from Panama City, Panama.

> Alan S. Raphael - Director of Marketing

Alan S. Raphael became Director of Marketing for the New Orleans Brass during the summer of 1999. Raphael comes to the Brass after having served as Marketing Manager for the Louisiana Superdome and the New Orleans Arena. Previously, Raphael spent five years as Director of Marketing for University of New Orleans Privateer Athletics, directing the marketing effort for 14 NCAA Division 1 sports. Prior to that, Raphael served various roles with Montgomery & Stire, a New Orleans-based advertising and public relations agency. While with the agency, Raphael received a Silver Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of America - New Orleans Chapter, recognizing his Burger King / New Orleans Public Schools crossing guard program. During six years with two Louisiana television stations, Raphael was distinguished for excellence in television production and marketing with two local ADDY Awards.

Raphael has served as Publicist for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and Walt Disney’s World On Ice in the New Orleans market for more than a decade. The 1979 graduate of Tulane University actively participates in volunteer work for the Contemporary Arts Center, the Louisiana Children’s Museum, the United Negro College Fund Walk-A-Thon and Sports for Life. Raphael, 42, is single and resides in Uptown New Orleans.

> Michael Samardzija - Account Executive

Michael Samardzija returns for his third year with the hockey club. Originally from the Detroit suburb of Farmington Hill, Michigan, he received his undergraduate education form Eastern Michigan University and his postgraduate education from the University of New Orleans.

Before joining the New Orleans Brass, Samardzija worked with the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation on events including Super Bowl and the USA Track & Field National Championships. Prior to coming to New Orleans, he spent 3 years with The Kansas City Symphony in the marketing department in addition to being the touring manager.

> Jim Talamonti - Director of Broadcasting/Public Relations

New to the Brass this season is Director of Broadcasting/Public Relations Jim Talamonti. For the last seven years, Talamonti served as the play-by-play voice of the Columbus (OH) Chill of the East Coast Hockey League. In 1998 he handled the play-by-play for the United Hockey League All-Star telecast. His play-by-play credits also include Ohio State University hockey, South Bend Silver Hawks (Midwest League) baseball, and NCAA football and basketball.

Born and raised in the Chicago area, Talamonti graduated from Butler University (Indianapolis) in 1989. He has fifteen years of radio and television experience. Talamonti succeeds Steve Carroll, now the play-by-play voice of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

> Cynthia Thibodeux - Director of Ticketing

Cynthia Thibodeaux is entering her first season with the Brass as Director of Ticketing. She is a native New Orleanian. Along with season ticket sales Thibodeaux will also be responsible for group sales, birthdays parties and the Brass Newsletters. Thibodeaux has over 10 years experience in membership marketing and sales with the Audubon Institute. Thibodeaux resides in New Orleans where she has spent most of her life.