Administration

For seven years prior, Keenist served as a team vice president supervising the areas of communications, broadcasting and marketing. In 1994-95, Keenist directed the team’s launch of several in-house media programs, including: a team television show, radio shows, a state-wide preseason TV and highlight show network, team newspaper, magazine and Internet site. Many of those entities are still in operation today.

Keenist has over the years assisted in the negotiations of broadcast contracts for local radio and TV, most recently including the Lions’ radio deal in 2005 when the Lions renewed their relationship with Infinity Broadcasting by inking a new five-year deal that includes greater presence on the team’s flagship station, 97.1 FM, and other auxiliary programming.

In 1997, Keenist directed a restructuring of the Lions’ ticket office, which included the establishment of both telemarketing and group sales departments. In the season prior to these changes, the season ticket base had fallen to near 30,000. In 2002, the first year at Ford Field, the Lions sold out their regular season ticket packages and, for the first time, have a waiting list for prospective season ticket buyers.

Keenist has been with the Lions since 1985 when he was hired as assistant public relations director. In 1987 he was named director of public relations, a position he held until his appointment as director of marketing, broadcasting and communications in 1991. He held that position until 1994 when he was promoted to vice president for administration and communications.

In 1981, Keenist’s NFL career began when he worked for the Washington Redskins as a public relations assistant. He was a member of the Redskins staff when the team won Super Bowl XVII in 1983 over Miami. He also served as the Redskins’ director of promotions in 1983.

After leaving the Redskins, Keenist returned home to the Pittsburgh area where he was the public relations director for the Pittsburgh Maulers of the United States Football League in 1984. After the Maulers’ one season in the USFL, Keenist served as the sports public relations director for the Pittsburgh Civic Arena, where he worked primarily with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Keenist’s talents have been recognized around the NFL. For Super Bowls XXIV through XXVIII he had the honor of being selected a public relations co-captain, which involves the coordination of all media-related activities at the Super Bowl. In all, he has worked a total of 19 Super Bowls for the NFL. In the past, he has served on the following NFL PR/Marketing Committees: Broadcasting; Governmental Affairs and Insider Magazine. Keenist has been the P.R. Chairman of the NFC Central division and Chairman of the Public Relations Special Projects Committee.

In 2002, Keenist was honored by the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association with the “Best of the Best” award, which annually honors the top sports public relations person in the Detroit media market. In 2003, the Lions’ 2002 club seat ticket commercial, produced by Keenist, was nominated for an EMMY, a first for any Lions’ production.

Also among Keenist’s accomplishments, he served as a member of Detroit’s Super Bowl XL Communications Task Force Committee, and played a key role in the organization’s public relations efforts during several Super Bowl XL related events.

Keenist holds a master’s degree in sports administration from Ohio University. He also received his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ohio and was a recipient of a Sports Administration Scholarship from the NFL in 1981. As sports editor of The Ohio University Post in 1980, his sports section was named the Best College Sports Section in America by a national panel of sportswriters and columnists, an honor for which he received a post-graduate scholarship.

He then served a graduate internship at Duke University where he worked in the athletic department.

In 2004, Keenist was inducted into the Elizabeth Forward High School Hall of Fame in his hometown of Elizabeth, Pa., and was a member of the school’s Class of 1976.

In 2006, Keenist was awarded a medal of merit by Ohio’s Alumni Association, which annually honors alumni who have distinguished themselves in their respective professions.

Keenist, 54, lives in Oxford with his wife Cindy and their three children: sons, Billy and Christopher, and daughter, Lindsay. He is an active member of Oxford High School’s Athletic Boosters, a member of the Oxford School District Strategic Planning Committee and serves on Oxford’s School Board.

Both sons, Billy and Christopher, played for the Bulldogs football program at Adrian (Mich.) College.