Founder’s Bio
Billy McGehee brings over three decades of leadership and senior management experience in professional sports to his new position as Founder of ATHLETES FOR AMERICA. McGehee founded ATHLETES FOR AMERICA after the events of September 11, 2001.
Billy McGehee is the past President/CEO of the Tampa Bay Lightning and St. Pete Times Forum. He also served on the NHL Board of Governors.
He is one of the founding members of the executive team that established the Arena Football League’s Orlando Predators. He has served as General Manager for both the New Orleans and Nashville Arena League Franchises, as well as Vice President of sales, marketing and operations for the World Champion Tampa Bay Storm. McGehee has assisted ownership groups in Atlanta, Raleigh and Charlotte with their respective franchises. In 1998, McGehee was awarded the Arena Football League’s Founders Award, which is given annually to the individual(s) who have contributed most to the growth and image of the Arena Football League.
A former world ranked professional tennis player, McGehee started WM Sports Enterprises, which specialized in the promotion and management of international sporting events. From 1983-1991 WM Sports owned, operated and managed over 100 major sporting events including; Bjorn Borg’s and Chris Evert’s Retirement Nights, a NBA Summer All-Star series event, Jimmy Connors, Ivan Lendl, Mats Wilander, exhibition matches, United States Olympic Boxing events, the Women’s World Doubles Championships, as well as numerous NCAA events.
Billy McGehee was born March 18, 1954 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He is the son of a World War II Marine Pilot and grandson of one of the co-founders of the American Legion. He attended Louisiana State University on a four year athletic scholarship for tennis and was a playing member of the SEC Championship team in 1976.
Andre Collins, NFLPA Director of Former Players Services