NEIL RUNBECK NAMED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Boulder Hockey Club and Lady RoughRiders Director of Hockey Operations Chris Lockrem announced today that Neil Runbeck has been named Boulder Hockey Club Executive Director. Runbeck assumes his new position after serving as BHC’s Director of Business Operations and Player Development since 2020.

In his new role, Runbeck will work with Lockrem to plan, organize and direct BHC’s operations and youth hockey programs. In addition, Runbeck will also be responsible for developing and implementing strategies aimed towards BHC’s mission and “voice.”

“Neil has been a very important part of BHC’s growth, both on and off the ice, and I am excited to work with him in his new position as we further solidify BHC’s status as a leader in youth hockey in the state of Colorado,” says Lockrem. “Boulder Hockey Club’s mission has always been to develop the character of young men and women through the game of hockey, and I am confident that with Neil’s leadership, we are sure to see massive growth and development of our players.”

Runbeck returned for his second tenure with BHC in 2020 after spending four years as Director of Hockey Operations for the Spokane Americans Youth Hockey Organization. From 2012-2015, Runbeck served as BHC Assistant Director of Hockey Operations.

“I'm excited to continue to develop youth hockey in our area and create a positive experience for BHC’s players and their families,” says Runbeck. “I look forward to working with Chris (Lockrem) and all of our talented professional coaches in creating an environment that provides all our players, at all levels, the best opportunity to develop their skills, passion, creativity and understanding of the game.”

For the last three seasons, Runbeck was a head coach in the Rocky Mountain RoughRiders Tier 1 program. For all three seasons, Runbeck’s teams advanced to the USA Hockey Rocky Mountain District Championships. This season, Runbeck coached the 14U AAA RoughRiders to a state championship. Runbeck’s previous experience also includes having coached four seasons of youth hockey at the PeeWee, Bantam, Midget and High School levels in Aspen. During the winter season of 2010-2011, Runbeck played for Lenhovda, Sweden, and co-founded the “Hockey Fritids” after school hockey program.

A native of New Brighton Minnesota, Runbeck played his youth and high school hockey in the Irondale hockey program.  After high school, Runbeck played four years of collegiate hockey and soccer at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science/Information Systems in 2002. Runbeck earned his MBA in Business Administration, Management and Operations from Colorado State University in 2015.