Ed Lang is in his first year as Senior Financial Advisor to Gayle Benson after serving 14 years as Senior Vice President/Chief Financial Officer for the Saints, Pelicans and GMB Management. In his new role, Lang leads the strategic coordination of Mrs. Benson's financial, investment, tax, and legacy planning initiatives. His key responsibilities include overseeing a diverse portfolio of investments—including real estate, private equity, and venture capital—to managing complex financial operations across her family of businesses and associated entities such as the Gayle Benson Automotive Team, GMB Properties, Benson Capital Partners and the Gayle and Tom Benson Charitable Foundation.
Entering his 15th season with the Benson organization, Lang was named Senior Vice President/Chief Financial Officer for the Saints and Pelicans in 2012. Lang oversaw the financial operations, as well as information technology, facilities and grounds departments for both clubs. He also served as a financial liaison with the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District, which is responsible for the maintenance, management and enhancement of the playing facilities of the Saints and Pelicans. In addition to working with the LSED for multiple renovations and enhancements of the home venues for the teams since 2012, Lang has also supervised several expansions of the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, helping provide state of the art playing and practice facilities.
The Cincinnati, Ohio native first came to New Orleans in 2011, following 13 years with the National Hockey League's Nashville Predators in several different leadership capacities. For his last three years with the club, he served as the team's President of Business Operations after the successful sale of the team to a new ownership group. Lang, who was with the franchise at its inception, began as the organization's Vice President/CFO and was named Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration/CFO in 2005.
Instrumental in assisting the club's founder Craig Leipold in securing the expansion franchise that became the Predators in 1997, Lang was one of the club's first employees, playing an important role in creating the organization's structure and establishing its business operations. He was in charge of all aspects of the Predators operations outside of hockey, including Bridgestone Arena operations and development of the club's long-term plans and goals. He was responsible for the franchise's business operations, which included ticket operations and sales, sponsorship sales, broadcasting, marketing, communications and development, administration and finances.
Prior to joining the Predators organization, Lang worked for S.C. Johnson and Son in Racine, Wisconsin for 12 years. He served in a variety of business and financial capacities, including venture manager for the office of the chairman, financial support manager for North America professional markets, and financial project manager, corporate financial analysis.
In 2006, Lang was elected to the board of directors for Johnson Outdoors, a leader in the outdoor recreation market. The company designs, manufactures and markets a portfolio of winning, consumer-preferred brands across four categories: fishing, diving, watercraft, and outdoor equipment.
Lang serves as a board member of the Louisiana Children's Museum. He also previously served on the Loyola University New Orleans School of Business Visiting Committee and as a board member of the Southeast Louisiana Boy Scouts of America. Prior to moving to New Orleans, Lang was very active in the Middle Tennessee community. He served as Chairman of Nashville's Adventure Science Center in 2008-10, and as a member on numerous boards, including the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Nashville Downtown Partnership, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Middle Tennessee and the Nashville Predators Foundation.
A 1985 Indiana University graduate with a B.S. in finance, Lang received his MBA from Marquette University in 1992. He is an outdoor enthusiast and has competed in numerous triathlons, marathons and cycling events. He also enjoys skiing and mountain climbing.
