Thum's assistant no longer with the Chiefs, either
A day after the mysterious and immediate departure of Chiefs president and longtime organization employee Denny Thum, the team also has parted ways with Thum's assistant, Nadine Steffen.
Asked to connect a call to Steffen, a receptionist at the team's office complex and practice facility said this morning that Steffen was "no longer with the organization."
Steffen is still listed on the team's Web site as the executive assistant to the president. Thum's name has been removed.
The Chiefs wouldn't comment Wednesday afternoon on Steffen's departure.
The team issued a release Tuesday evening that stated Thum was stepping down immediately after 36 years with the organization. Chairman Clark Hunt will assume CEO duties, and Hunt said in the statement that he didn't expect to hire a president immediately but that Thum's replacement was likely to come from within the organization.
Chief operating officer Mark Donovan, who's been with the team since May 2009, handles many of the day-to-day business-side duties.
The timing of Thum's departure was unusual, coming less than 24 hours after the Chiefs defeated San Diego on national television. The team officially opened the newly renovated Arrowhead Stadium on Monday night, too, and it was seen as the biggest night for the Chiefs organization in years.
Thum had overseen the stadium renovation project and also was a key figure in bringing the team's training camp to St. Joseph, after nearly two decades in River Falls, Wis. Thum began his career with the Chiefs in 1974, starting as a staff accountant, eventually working his way up to assistant general manager and executive vice president. He also had been the team's principal contract negotiator under former team president Carl Peterson.
Thum was seen as one of the last remaining links from Peterson's 20-year tenure as president, CEO and general manager. Most of Peterson's top allies have parted ways with the Chiefs in the past 18 months.
Thum, whose influence within the organization had been reduced after Peterson left the team in 2008, was seen in the press box Monday night, showing visitors around and chatting with them before kickoff.
Submitted by Kent Babb on September 15, 2010 - 12:08pm.
http://chiefsblog.kansascity.com/?q=node/1437