nwasianweekly.com
July 19, 2008

Karen Bryant: a slam dunk of a CEO

With the departure of the Sonics and the sale of the Seattle Storm to local ownership group Force 10 Hoops, Karen Bryant is now at the forefront of Seattle basketball, having been promoted to CEO of the Storm.

“Sonics history is a thing of the past,” Bryant admits. “The Storm is part of Seattle’s future.”

In her 10 years with the Storm, Bryant has served in several positions, making her way to chief operating office before the Storm’s sale.

“The Storm is built on the momentum and commitment of local owners that are continuing to build a strong foundation for years to come,” she says.

Bryant is also a local. As a child growing up in Edmonds, she was strongly influenced by her maternal grandparents who were of Filipino and Alaskan-native heritage. She remembers their hard work ethic and commitment to family values.

At Edmonds-Woodway High School, Bryant played ball and, at one point, was named one of the top high school basketball players in the state. Anyone who saw her play in the late ’80s would have noticed her intense drive and competitive nature. She later suffered injuries that limited her on-court career, but this didn’t stop her from pursuing a career in the sport she loves.

Bryant went on to study communication at the University of Washington and play Division I basketball. Although her college basketball career didn’t go as well as expected, she says she was very lucky to play for the Huskies.

Having planned on pursuing a career in sports journalism, Bryant instead joined the Seattle-headquartered architecture firm NBBJ in a project-management role and devoted time to coaching her high school basketball team.

“It was great to go back to my alma mater and give back to the high school and have influence on the next generation of female athletes.”

Within a few years, Bryant was leading her own consulting firm. In 1996, when Seattle was selected to host a professional female basketball team through the American Basketball League, Bryant immediately stepped up and volunteered to support it. She was hired on, soon thereafter.

“From the very beginning there was support for a women’s team,” she says of the creation of the Seattle Reign, the precursor to the Storm.

After a short three years, the ABL went under. The WNBA, however, picked up where it left off and created the Storm in 1999 and Bryant was brought on as senior director of operations, made her way to vice president of operations, COO and now CEO.

Bryant says her job isn’t changing much, except it is expanding. She believes the involvement of the new, local ownership will keep everyone more engaged. And as the organization continues to grow, so will her responsibilities.

With key players like Sheryl Swoopes, Sue Bird and Swin Cash, and new ownership group Force 10 Hoops, the Storm is making all the right plays and enjoying a great season. Midseason reports show them at a six-game winning streak and ranked second in the WNBA’s Western Conference.

Anyone who has seen a Storm game will see how it can easily become a Seattle tradition. Half-time celebrations honor Seattle women who have made a difference and showcase multicultural performances. The women on the court serve as role models and participate in events that promote reading, fitness and the environment.

In no small part is Bryant a part of this. Her efforts have created a whirlwind that is bringing people from all walks of life together. “We always prided ourselves on our very diverse fan base. People come from all parts of Puget Sound to KeyArena for the love of the team.”

Like her counterparts on the basketball court, Karen Bryant is nothing less than a role model. In short, this local is taking Seattle by storm.

You can learn more about the Seattle Storm and Karen Bryant at storm.wnba.com.

Irfan Shariff can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.