Panthers Name New President of Business Operations

SUNRISE, Fla. — The Florida Panthers announced on Tuesday that Michael White has been named the team’s new president of business operations. He will oversee all business aspects of the four Panthers operated facilities: Amerant Bank Arena, Baptist Health IcePlex, Panthers IceDen & War Memorial Auditorium.

Seated between Florida Panthers team owner Vincent Viola and general manager and president of hockey operations Bill Zito, White was also formally introduced to the media Tuesday afternoon at Amerant Bank Arena.

“We‘re extremely humbled that we’re able to announce as our next president, CEO, head of business operations, Mike White,” Viola said as he introduced White. “Mike comes from a very accomplished career as a visionary, creative, innovative leader.”

Before joining the Panthers, White was most recently the chief product officer at Amazon’s autonomous vehicle company, Zoox — where he led consumer strategy, go-to-market, business development, and live operations for the world’s first purpose-built autonomous robotaxi.

White also worked at the Walt Disney Company for 11 years, holding several senior leadership roles spanning parks, media, consumer products, and retail with the company.

White’s position was previously held by Matthew Caldwell, who left the organization last August to become CEO of the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves and the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx.

“I very much appreciate the opportunity that the Viola’s have given me,” White said in his opening remarks. “The process, as you would expect, was world class.”

Throughout the rigorous process of searching for the team’s new business operations president, Zito, the overseer of Florida’s hockey operations, was also involved in the affair.

Mike White, the Florida Panthers new President of Business Operations, was formally introduced this afternoon in Sunrise. pic.twitter.com/U6rFr7TwUC
— Alex Baumgartner (@ABaumgartner91) March 31, 2026

White recalled an early morning phone call he received in February from Zito, who was in Italy with the US Men’s Olympic Ice Hockey team. The Panthers GM and Hockey operations front-man just wanted to check in on White through the process — that friendly gesture stuck with him.

“I get this call at six in the morning, ‘I’m like Zito?’” White said. “It shows the warmth, It shows the character of this organization. I couldn’t be happier to be here. Again, I’m very humbled to be here, and I take the responsibility very seriously — to be a steward for the brand, the team, the community, and especially the fans.”

White wasn’t afraid to hide his excitement when the conversation was about working alongside Zito, giving the two-time Stanley Cup champion a friendly pat on the back when Viola said White would be Zito’s “battle buddy” for the Panthers.

The admiration went both ways, of course. Zito shared equal excitement when speaking of his new partner.

“For those of you who have not had occasion to meet Mike yet, you’ll appreciate his wit — his intellect shines through,” Zito said of his new colleague. “When we spoke the first time it was just two guys talking… It’s humbling to think that we could have a partner such as Mike. I know how excited I am for what can be and what we could do together.

”I’m literally talking about hockey,” Zito continued. “And the impact that Mike and his experience, his intellect, and his character will have on us.”

The opportunity to work for the Panthers is one that is filled with elation for White. He continuously called the club a “world class organization”, voicing his appreciation for the success of the back-to-back champions, both on and off the ice.

“Obviously [I’m] very aware of what [the Panthers] were doing,” White said when asked of his prior knowledge of the Florida Panthers. “This is a world class organization that’s won it two years in a row.”

“When I received the call I knew the history of what they had done. So it was a very warm start into the conversation of this is a world class organization. Again, very humbled that I received that call and where we are today.”