With a wide-range of responsibilities that includes overseeing the majority of the club’s marketing initiatives, Ben Hales enters his 10th season with the Saints and fourth since being promoted to Vice President of Marketing and Business Development.

On a daily basis, Hales directs the Saints’ marketing, sponsorship efforts and sales staff. He is also intricately involved in the club’s critical planning of short-term and long-range marketing efforts. Hales’ duties also entails stadium operations at the Louisiana Superdome, corporate sponsorships, broadcasting partnerships, promotions, advertising, special events and youth programs.

Hales has helped create and implement a variety of innovative opportunities for local and national partners to build relationships with the club, including the development of Patron Saints Partners, a premium sponsorship program. Under his direction the club has also added a sponsorship and fulfillment department to ensure corporate partners receive the highest level of service.

The Saints have also significantly increased the number and variety of television and radio programs in the last few years after Hales assumed the role of the club's primary programming negotiator. In addition to a pair of weekly in-season television programs, the Saints now produce numerous specials that have aired on three different local television stations throughout each season.

In 2006, the Saints achieved the first season ticket sellout in team history, a feat the team has equaled prior to the last two seasons. The club was named the 2006 Marketer of the Year by the American Marketing Association’s New Orleans regional chapter and also received the 2007 MAX Award for its 2006 “Winning Is An Attitude” advertising campaign.

Hales joined the Saints in 2000 as a corporate sales account executive. In 2001, he was promoted to corporate sales and broadcasting manager before becoming a director the following year and assuming the responsibilities of business and marketing operations.

Prior to joining the Saints, Hales worked in television advertising in the New Orleans market. In addition to his community efforts on behalf of the team, Hales is a member of the People’s Health Champions Selection Committee.

A native of New Orleans and a longtime Saints terrace and plaza level season ticket holder before joining the club, Hales earned a degree in English from the University of Mississippi in 1996. Hales, his wife, Kendall, and daughters Madison and Caroline live in New Orleans.