Detroit Lions

Bill Keenist enters 31st year with Lions

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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31 years strong for Lions SVP of Communications Bill Keenist.

There are two types of people in the corporate world of professional sports; the “showboat” and the “G.O.A.T.” Well, Senior Vice President of Communications Bill Keenist is the “G.O.A.T.” Not because his beard is the color of white pepper, but because his tenure with the Detroit Lions has even outlived my 25 years on this earth.

Larryjrnfl.com – talks Detroit Lions NFL Preseason (Video Below).

As a Former Detroit Lions employee, I was always instructed to leave Bill’s newspaper on his front desk Sunday mornings around 6:00 a.m. I had always wondered, who is this guy and why is his office so neat.

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The 200-500 (often the lesser) administrative positions each NFL franchise requires for operations certainly parallels the necessities of the 53 man team roster.

Whether Sales, Marketing, Communications, Security, Nutrition etc., each and every administrative office is super vital to the success of the franchise.

In “A Career In Sports: Advice from Sports Business Leaders” by Michelle Wells, Andy Kreutzer and Jim Kahler, Keenist was interviewed and asked about his career as a Sports Administrator. He mentioned his experience being a part of the Washington Redskins, working at Duke University, in the USFL, with Edward J. DeBartolo and finally starting as an assistant with the Detroit Lions over three decades ago.

So what exactly does the SVP of Communications actually do?

Well, the astute position of Senior Vice President of Communications means that anything regarding the commercial interest of Detroit Lions partnerships falls on Keenist. Many Lions fans are dynamically impressed with the new “One Pride” theme, Keenist can be partly accredited for its innovation. The modifications and advertisements that are approved through business development and administration pass through the desk of Keenist, digital media, public relations, community relations are all facets Bill administers to keep the Lions public presence and prestige afloat.

Bill has worked media relations for Super Bowls XXIV through XXVIII. Keenist also has administrative input in broadcasting, digital media and everything related to the public presentation of the Detroit Lions. League wide, contributions administrators like Bill make to keep the NFL prevalent today go unnoticed by the general public. To read more about the marvelous career of Keenist, click the picture below.

The Lions should certainly feel honored to accommodate a man that has been fully dedicated to his career and the growth of their franchise for nearly half a century.