Staff

Mark Frankenfeld

Commissioner and President
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Mark Frankenfeld is in his fifth full year as commissioner of the North American Hockey League and his 14th overall. As commissioner, his responsibilities include overseeing the day-to-day operations and all business aspects of the league, including but not limited to expansion, marketing initiatives, rules & regulations and player development.

During Frankenfeld's tenure, the NAHL has stabilized into one of only two non-pay-to-play premier developmental junior leagues in the country. During that five-year span the league has not only grown, but expanded into markets that were once considered off limits for junior hockey. One of the biggest trends that has occurred under Frankenfeld's watch is NAHL teams emerging in former minor league hockey markets and becoming successful and stable. Frankenfeld has laid the foundation for continued success, expanding the footprint of the league to an all-time high of 28 teams representing 14 states and British Columbia, allowing the league to continue to grow and truly become America's only 'National League' when it comes to junior hockey.

Frankenfeld, a member of USA Hockey's Junior Council, is also the driving force behind the creation of the NAHL Top Prospects Tournament and the North American Prospects Hockey League (PHL), which is made up of 43 Bantam and Midget teams that compete at the Tier I youth level. Last season, Frankenfeld played a vital role of the acquisition of the Central States Hockey League, which was redeveloped in the North American 3 Hockey League (3HL). This season, Frankenfeld helped expand the 3HL from 12 to 16 teams to compete at the Tier III Junior level. All take advantage of the unique vertical exposure model set forth by Frankenfeld, in which players are showcased in a series of unique league-wide events designed to bring everyone together under one roof several times a season for enhanced exposure of players at all levels to junior and college scouts. Prior to assuming his role as commissioner, the Wright State University graduate served as the league's director of hockey operations.

Behind the bench in the NAHL, Frankenfeld was the head coach of the Dayton Gems during the 2003-04 season and spent four seasons as assistant coach and assistant general manager for the Texas Tornado from 1999-03. He was also an assistant coach with the Cleveland Jr. Barons for one season. Prior to working in the NAHL, Frankenfeld gained valuable experience in the collegiate ranks, spending four years as an assistant coach with the University of Miami-Ohio (CCHA) and one as an assistant with Buffalo State University (SUNYAC). Frankenfeld has also coached at the high school and Midget AAA levels, as well as at USA Hockey Select Festivals, giving him more than 20 years of coaching experience.

Frankenfeld resides in Frisco, Texas with his wife, Kira. Frankenfeld has a son, Brody, and two daughters, Charlee and Bella.

Denny Scanlon

Director of Hockey Operations
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Denny Scanlon is in his third season as director of hockey operations for the North American Hockey League.

Scanlon oversees NAHL compliance to all league and USA Hockey rules and regulations, all foreign and domestic transactions, player registration and league discipline. Additionally, Scanlon serves as director of the North American Prospects Hockey League and as Vice-President of Hockey Operations for NA3HL.

Scanlon has vast experience at all levels of hockey, including the National Hockey League (NHL), where he served as an amateur scout for the New York Islanders from 2008-2011. Prior to joining the Islanders, Scanlon spent five years as a member of the Minnesota Wild's hockey operations department from 2000-2005. From 2006 thru 2009 Scanlon worked for the Minneapolis law firm of Holmes and Associates, where he practiced in the areas of Real Estate and Municipal Law.

Scanlon graduated from Miami University in 2000 and earned his Law Degree from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota in 2006. Scanlon currently resides in St. Louis Park, Minnesota.

Alex Kyrias

Director of Communications and Marketing
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Alex Kyrias is in his second season as Director of Communications and Marketing for the North American Hockey League. Kyrias oversees all public/media relations for the NAHL, NA3HL and NAPHL, as well as, all league-wide broadcasting, marketing, corporate partnership, equipment supplier and sales initiatives.

Prior to the NAHL, Kyrias spent three years working in professional hockey. In 2007-08, Kyrias worked for the Augusta Lynx of the ECHL as its Director of Public and Media relations and play-by-play voice before joining the Iowa Stars and Iowa Chops the next season as the American Hockey League (AHL) team's Vice-President of communications and play-by-play broadcaster. In 2009-10, Kyrias served as the Vice-President of sales and marketing of the then International Hockey League's (IHL) Quad City Mallards.

No stranger to the NAHL, Kyrias served as the Director of Communications and radio play-by-play voice for the Texas Tornado from 2002-07.

Kyrias holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sports Communications from Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind. He and his wife, Dory, reside in Flower Mound, Texas, along with their daughter Dorothy.

Lynn Cramp

Director of Finance and Administration
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Lynn Cramp is in her fifth year with the North American Hockey League and her second as director of finance and administration.

In her role, Cramp oversees all financial aspects of the NAHL, as well as assisting with the coordination of all NAHL and NAPHL events.

Prior to joining the NAHL, the Ontario, Canada, native spent seven years with the Dallas Junior Hockey Association, where her roles included Bantam commissioner, Midget commissioner, secretary, Regional Silver Stick tournament director and vice president. She also served two years with the North Texas Hockey League as Midget Major commissioner.

Cramp graduated with a Pharmacy Technicians degree from Durham College in Oshawa, Ontario. She currently resides in McKinney, Texas, with her husband, Wayne, and three sons, Steven, Michael and Andrew.

Fraser Ritchie

Director of Hockey Administration
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Fraser Ritchie is in his third year with the North American Hockey League with his role of member services - operations and communications.

Ritchie manages league logistics, operations and daily support for member organizations and league operations and communications. He also oversees the tracking and accuracy of all statistics and standings for the NAHL and the NAPHL as the Pointstreak administrator. Additionally, Ritchie serves as assistant director to the NAPHL.

Ritchie, 64, recently completed his third term as president of the North Texas Hockey League. Away from the rink, the former minor league hockey player spent 38 years with Nortel Networks, specializing in engineering sales support, project management of large multi-million dollar programs and customer service.

Sara Danielson

Marketing and Creative Coordinator
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Sara Danielson is in her first year with the North American Hockey League as the Marketing and Creative Coordinator. She assists with league-wide marketing, design, corporate partner and sales initiatives. Danielson also is responsible for league-wide merchandise projects and assists with league public relations and community outreach projects.

Previous to the NAHL, Sara built her hockey career in the American Hockey League for the former Iowa Stars and Iowa Chops. During her time with the two teams in Des Moines, she was the in-house designer, executed sponsorship promotions, designed LED graphics for game entertainment purposes and strategized for future corporate sponsorships. While she was interning in the AHL, Sara attended Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa where she studied Advertising, graduating with a B.A. in 2010.

Sara is a native of Minneapolis, MN, where she spent her last year working for Apple Inc.

Rick Looker

Officiating Coordinator

Rick Looker is in his first full season as the Coordinator of Officials.Looker's responsibility will include supervising, evaluating and coordinating all the officials within the NAHL and NA3HL.

Looker, who is originally from Thief River Falls, Minnesota, joins the NAHL staff having spent 26 years as a USA Hockey official. For the past 12 seasons, Looker has been an instructor, supervisor and coordinator for officials at various USA Hockey Official Development Camps. Last season, Looker also served as the head supervisor for the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) University Challenge Cup of Asia in China.

Beyond his supervisory roles, Looker spent last season as a referee in the ECHL, North America's top professional 'AA' league. Previous to that, Looker spent five seasons as a referee in the German Elite League (DEL). Over that same course of time, Looker officiated in seven different IIHF World Championships and two different IIHF World Junior Championships.