Hockey Operations & Staff

Ken King
President, Chief Executive Officer, Governor

Ken King was named President and Chief Executive Officer of the Calgary Flames on August 15, 2001. He also serves as the President, Chief Executive Officer and Governor of the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League.

King enjoyed a 30-year career in the business and newspaper industry, including positions as President and Publisher of the Calgary Herald (1996-99) and Publisher of the Calgary Sun (1988-96). During his newspaper career in Calgary, King was acknowledged for his innovative marketing, establishment of strong corporate relationships and spirited community leadership.

He has also held other management positions in the newspaper business, including President and Publisher of Pacific Press in Vancouver, which operates the Vancouver Province and Vancouver Sun, General Manager of the Edmonton Sun, Vice-President of the Toronto Sun Publishing Corp. and General Manager of United Press Canada. A native of Hanley, Sask., King launched his newspaper career in 1970 with the Prince George (B.C.) Citizen. King is currently Chairman of the Board of Osprey Media Group, a newspaper trust with broad publishing holdings in Ontario.

King moved to Calgary in 1988 from Edmonton where he observed the northern NHL team.

King is a strong believer in contributing to the community and has spent an enormous amount of time with community efforts.

His current community involvement spans numerous organizations, including the Calgary Health Region REACH program, a joint fundraising initiative for excellence in health, the Calgary Sport Tourism Authority, the Calgary Exhibition & Stampede (reception committee), Borden Ladner Gervais CIAU Athlete of the Year Awards (board of trustees). His former community involvement includes the Calgary Prostate Cancer Centre, Calgary Philharmonic Society, No Ka Oi (Ranch) Foundation, Downtown Rotary Club (past board member) and the Calgary Chamber of Commerce (past chairman).

In 2005 King received an Alberta Centennial Medal for outstanding contributions to the province of Alberta. Other awards include the Queens Golden Jubilee Medal for community service and a commemorative medal for the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada.

In 1991, he was honored as B'Nai Brith Man of the Year.

King is an avid but mediocre golfer and like many other Albertans, shares a passion for horses which he most often, but not always, stays mounted on. He and his wife, Marilyn, have two daughters, Amanda and Jocelin. King also has twin grandsons.

Kelly Kisio
General Manager, Executive VP, Alternate Governor

2011/12 is Kelly's 14th season with the Calgary Hitmen. The Hitmen have posted 518 regular season victories, an average of 43 per season, under his 13 seasons of leadership. Kisio has also been at the helm for both Western Hockey League Championships in franchise history capturing the Ed Chynoweth Cup in 1999 and 2010. He has also twice won the Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy given to the WHL's Top Executive claiming the award in the 2003-04 season and again in 2008-09. In addition to his General Manger duties, Kisio also spent four seasons in the dual role as GM and Head Coach from 2004-05 to 2007-08 guiding the Hitmen to 167 wins. During Kisio's tenure, the Hitmen have made the playoffs every season.

A native of Wetaskiwin, Alberta , Kisio starred in the Alberta Junior League with the Red Deer Rustlers prior to joining the Western Hockey League with the Calgary Wranglers. He spent two seasons in the WHL posting back to back 60-goal campaigns in 1978-79 and 1979-80. He was named WHL Rookie of the Year for the 1978-79 season.

Kelly enjoyed 13 years in the National Hockey League with four different teams (Detroit, New York Rangers, San Jose and Calgary). He served as captain of the Rangers for three and a half seasons plus one season with the Sharks. He was named a Campbell Conference All-Star in 1993. In 761 career NHL games he posted 658 points (229 goals and 429 assists).

In 1993, Kelly signed with the Calgary Flames playing two seasons before retiring from the NHL in 1995. He stayed with the Flames as an amateur scout before accepting the General Manager position with the Calgary Hitmen prior to the 1998-99 season.

Kelly and his wife Linda have three children: Brent, Kurtis, and Kristina.

Bernie Bajnok
Education Advisor, Billet Coordinator

The 2011/12 season is Bernie's tenth season as the team's education advisor. He holds a wealth of leadership experience having served as a high school principal for 17 years before retiring in 2003.

Bajnok also has a Masters Degree in Educational Administration and a Physical Education Degree.

Mike Williamson
Head Coach

2011/12 is Mike's third season with the Hitmen. His first was a major success leading the franchise to its second Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL Champions in 2010.

The 37-year-old joined the Hitmen in the summer of 2009 after spending 15 years with the Portland Winterhawks as a player and coach.
He played for Portland from 1991-94 and then spent over five seasons as an assistant coach before taking over the head coaching duties part way through the 1999-2000 season.
In over seven seasons as head choach, Williamson has over 500 games of head coaching experience.
He is the seventh head coach in franchise history, succeeding Dave Lowry who accepted an assistant coaching position with the Calgary Flames.
Mike and his wife Michelle have two children Leeah and Nicholas.

• Led the Hitmen to 52 wins enroute to the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL Champions in 2010
• Captain of the 1993-94 Winterhawks
• Won a Memorial Cup with the Winterhawks in 1998 as an assistant coach
• As head coach led the Winterhawks to the 1001 WHL Western Conference Final and playoff berths in the ensuing five seasons.
• 2000-01 WHL Western Conference Coach of the Year

Joel Otto
Assistant Coach

2011-12 is Joel's fifth season as Hitmen Assistant Coach. Otto played 14 seasons in the NHL, 11 with the Calgary Flames and three with the Philadelphia Flyers. During that time he collected 508 points (195 goals 313 assists) in 943 games. He was one of the NHL's best two-way centres and won a Stanley Cup with the Flames in 1989, scoring the overtime, game winning, series clinching goal in round 1, game 7 versus Vancouver . The 6'4" native of Elk River , Minnesota was blessed with quick hands as well as strength, which made him a handful on faceoffs, along the boards, and in the slot. Otto also won the World Cup with Team USA in 1996.

Brent Kisio
Assistant Coach

2011/12 is Brent's fifth season with the Hitmen, his fourth focusing solely on duties as an Assistant Coach. Brent joined the team in the 2007-08 season as Video Coach after wrapping up his playing career with the University of Nebraska-Omaha . He graduated with a degree in criminology.

Darcy Wakaluk
Goaltending Coach

2011/12 is Darcy's eigth season as Hitmen Goaltending Coach. A native of Pincher Creek , Alberta , he was drafted 144th overall by the Buffalo Sabres. After playing the better part of five seasons in the Buffalo system with the Rochester Americans, Darcy spent seven seasons in the NHL (Buffalo, Minnesota - Dallas, Phoenix). Following his retirement in 1999, Darcy was the Goaltending Coach with the Kamloops Blazers for three seasons before joining the Vancouver Giants for two seasons. Darcy resides in Crowsnest Pass with his wife Dawn, and their four kids: Alexander, Logan , Brock and Tori.

Mike Moore
Director of Business Operations

2011/12 is Mike's fourth season with the Calgary Hitmen. His educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Calgary. Prior to joining the Hitmen, Mike was the Director of Athletics at Edge School in Calgary. He has also served as a General Manager in the Western Hockey League with both the Kamloops Blazers and Medicine Hat Tigers and was the Hitmen Assistant General Manger in 1997/98.

Brad Curle
Broadcast Coordinator

2011/12 is Brad's seventh season with the Hitmen and 15th of calling play-by-play in the Western Hockey League.  The product of Porcupine Plain, Saskatchewan spent eight seasons as the radio voice of the Lethbridge Hurricanes before joining the Hitmen prior to the 2005-06 season.  He has broadcast over 1,000 games in the WHL.

Curle got his play by play start in 1993 calling Senior Hockey in Southeast Saskatchewan. The following year he was promoted to Tier 2 where he spent two seasons as the voice of the SJHL's Estevan Bruins. Curle is a graduate of Western Academy Broadcasting College in Saskatoon.

Will McMillan
Athletic Therapist

2011/12 is Will's sixth season with the Calgary Hitmen. He is a Certified Athletic Therapist with a degree in Physical Education from the University of Calgary . Prior to joining the Hitmen, Will spent nine years as the Head Athletic Therapist with SAIT. Previous to that, he spent two years working with the Moose Jaw Warriors and one season with the Calgary Junior "A" Royals. Will and his wife Loreen have a son Sean.

Jason Monnery
Assistant Trainer

This is Jason's second year as assistant trainer. He was born and raised in Calgary and recently received his Athletic Injury Management Certificate from the Sports Medicine Council of Alberta.  Monnery is looking to pursue a career in Sports Management.