Miller a Blue CEO candidate

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This article was published 12/01/2010 (6059 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

He’s always been a long shot, against-all-odds guy whether it was on the football field or in the boardroom. Funny thing about Wade Miller, though: the man is forever proving folks wrong.

So consider this for what it’s worth — Miller, the 36-year-old former player-turned-entrepreneur — has emerged as a serious candidate for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ vacant president/CEO posting.

Neither Miller or Bomber chairman Ken Hildahl would comment, but two CFL sources have told The Free Press that the former fullback/linebacker is not only on the team’s radar screen, but will be interviewed by the headhunter hired to conduct initial interviews.

"He wants the job. (David) Asper loves him. He is tight with at least two of the board members and even those who do not like Wade respect his business knowledge and no-nonsense approach," said one source.

A product of the University of Manitoba Bisons, Miller was a fourth-round draft pick by the Bombers in 1995. And when he arrived at his first pro camp that spring, he was considered nothing more than training-camp fodder.

Instead, Miller carved out an 11-year career through a combination of sheer will and knowledge of the game. He was an East Division all-star and the Bombers Most Outstanding Canadian in 1999 as a special-teams ace. He suited up for 159 regular-season and eight playoff games and is the team’s leader in career special-teams tackles.

Miller has had his hand in business since establishing himself as a player, often showing up to Bomber practice in a suit or changing into one afterward. Or both.

He founded Pinnacle Staffing Solutions, a recruitment firm, back in 2002 along with Dale Driedger and has built it into a company with annual revenues north of $10 million with 25 employees. In 2007 Miller was named one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40, an annual program that singles out some of this country’s younger movers and shakers in the business world.

Miller actually has his mitts in other businesses, too, as owner of two Elite High Performance Sports Injury Centres; Performance Healthware, which provides braces and rehabilitation products; and also owns one Booster Juice franchise. Miller has also been active in helping raise funds for amateur football in the province.

Some of the other candidates believed to be on the Bomber list include former CFL commissioner Tom Wright, Jim Bell — the team’s interim president who is the club’s VP of Finance and Administration — and B.C. Lions vice president of business, George Chayka.

The Bombers hope to complete their search for their VP of football operations (GM) first and then have that person be instrumental in the hiring of the new head coach . The hiring of the new president/CEO would likely come after that.

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca