Eli Sherman Pillar of Achievement - 2024

Michael serves as Chairman of the Board for Anaheim Arena Management (AAM), Chief Executive Officer of Anaheim Ducks Hockey Club (ADHC), Chairman of the Board of OCVIBE and the Anaheim Ducks Foundation and serves on the board of NHL Enterprises. He is also an Alternate Governor for the NHL Board of Governors.

Michael’s role with the Honda Center began long before his appointment as Chairman of AAM in December, 2003. His role at AAM includes overseeing all business and hockey operations. He was the lead negotiator on behalf of the Samueli family in working with Disney on the purchase of the Anaheim Ducks, as well as for the NHL in qualifying the Samueli family for the purchase of the team. He was also involved with the family in changing the team name and logo, and in forming the Anaheim Ducks Foundation.

A UC Berkeley graduate, Michael attended Santa Clara Law School, and is responsible for developing additional ice and in-line skating rinks in the Orange County area. He was instrumental in the purchase of several ice and in-line rinks, including the Irvine, Corona and Huntington in-line rinks, and the Westminster, Yorba Linda and Lakewood ice rinks. Michael is the past Chairman of THE RINKS Program and oversees its development, including advancing the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League and the California State Hockey Championship.

He serves on the boards of the Samueli Foundation, Samueli Institute, the Orange County Jewish Campus, and Anaheim Ducks Foundation. After attending law school, Michael was hired as a full-time law professor at the University of Southern California, after which he was a practicing attorney and partner for a number of years with the law firm of McDermott, Will & Emery. A native of California, Michael and his wife, Sherry, reside in Laguna Beach and have three children: Danielle, Bryant and Natasha.