Penguins CEO/President to Receive Honorary Degree at Winter Commencement

Pittsburgh Penguins President and Chief Executive Officer David Morehouse will receive an honorary Doctorate of Business Leadership degree at next week’s Winter Commencement ceremony.

President Ken Gormley will confer degrees upon the graduating students and will present the honorary degree to Morehouse during the ceremony, which will be held on Friday, Dec. 15, at 11 a.m. in the A.J. Palumbo Center.

Morehouse has been an integral part of the Penguins’ success, helping the team to secure a new arena deal and win three Stanley Cups during his tenure. He also reshaped the Penguins’ image through innovative branding, fan relations, community interaction, corporate outreach and social media engagement.

“We’re delighted to honor David Morehouse during this special day in the lives of our graduates,” said Ken Gormley. “David has been a true visionary in his field, employing cutting-edge business practices to advance the Penguins’ hockey franchise, and bringing two consecutive Stanley Cups back to Pittsburgh. He also has been a great partner and neighbor of Duquesne, consistently playing a key role in reaching out and bettering the community, which is at the heart of the Duquesne University mission.”

A Pittsburgh native, Morehouse joined the Penguins in 2004 as a senior consultant and was named president in 2007. The role of chief executive officer was added after the team’s arena opened in 2010.

“I’m excited and humbled to receive this great honor from Duquesne University, especially because of the close relationship between the Penguins and our neighbors at Duquesne,” Morehouse said. “The Duquesne campus is literally right across the street from my office at PPG Paints Arena, and I continue to be impressed by the growth and innovation that I see every year. I salute President Gormley, the staff, faculty and students—especially the students graduating this semester—for all that you’ve done to make Pittsburgh, and our neighborhood, a very special place. Thank you.”

While the Penguins have won consecutive Stanley Cups, the team’s success off the ice has been just as impressive. Under Morehouse’s leadership, the Penguins have sold out every game for more than 10 seasons and have set new standards for television ratings and corporate sales. He initiated an annual event where players personally deliver season tickets to fans’ homes and a preseason game where all 18,000 tickets are distributed free to local youth.

During Morehouse’s tenure, the Penguins have become one of the strongest business entities in pro sports. For the last several years, ESPN the Magazine has recognized the Penguins as one of the top professional franchises with its “Ultimate Standings” rankings.

Before joining the Penguins, Morehouse had extensive national experience in political decision-making, strategic planning and project development. A graduate of Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, he spent much of the 1990s working in national politics, including positions in the Clinton-Gore White House, at the Pentagon and on Capitol Hill. He worked on four presidential campaigns and served as a senior advisor on the John Kerry campaign.

Morehouse received the prestigious Art Rooney Award for leadership and contributions to the greater Pittsburgh community in 2017. He also is a member of the Board of Directors of Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (ATI), where he serves on the Audit Committee and Technology Committee.

David and his wife, Vanessa Opperman Morehouse, are involved in numerous charitable and community initiatives throughout the region, including Children’s Hospital, the Hillman Cancer Center, the Strategic Investment Fund and the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation.

The Winter Commencement ceremony will be preceded by a Baccalaureate Mass at 9 a.m. in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit. Commencement will be broadcast live via webcast at www.duq.edu/commencement.