The Hawks and State Farm Arena hired former NBA executive Joel Browning as executive vice president and chief financial officer, the team announced Tuesday.

He will oversee the finance, accounting, information technology and analytics departments and will have a leadership role in future large-scale projects, the Hawks said. He’ll report to CEO Steve Koonin.

Browning previously was a vice president in the NBA’s team-marketing and business-operations department, working as a consultant to the Hawks and six other teams. Before joining the league office, he was the Detroit Pistons’ vice president of business operations and strategy.

Joel Browning, new executive vice president and chief financial officer of the Hawks and State Farm Arena.

Credit: Contributed by Hawks

icon to expand image

Credit: Contributed by Hawks

With the Hawks, Browning will assume some of the duties of former chief operating officer Thad Sheely, who oversaw operations and finance before resigning last week to start a real-estate development company in Atlanta. Sheely was a key leader in the makeover of State Farm Arena and the building of the Hawks’ practice facility.

About the Author

Keep Reading

The Hawks agreed to a sign-and-trade agreement bring Nickeil Alexander-Walker to the team. Alexander-Walker is one of the big additions to Atlanta's roster in a surprising offseason. (Nate Billings/AP)

Credit: AP

Featured

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. (center) is flanked by GOP whip Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo. (left) and Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, as Thune speak to reporters at the Capitol in Washington on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. Earlier Tuesday, the Senate passed the budget reconciliation package of President Donald Trump's signature bill of big tax breaks and spending cuts. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

Credit: AP