For 25 years, Frank Gumienny has been a driving force in the success of the Philadelphia Eagles NFL franchise. As chief financial officer of the organization, his primary contribution has been in the financial arena, but his work touches other parts of the organization. He initiated the corporate mantra “I am an Eagle!” to empower employees.
“Inclusion is key!” Gumienny said. “You need every single person moving toward the mission, however that mission must be clear. Here, we don’t work for the Philadelphia Eagles, we are Eagles. There is a huge difference between working for the team and being part of a team. Empowering my team to be creative, make smart decisions and remember ‘I am an Eagle!’”
Gumienny played a key role in the Eagles’ transition from Veterans Stadium — a city-owned, multipurpose venue — to the NovaCare Complex and Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles’ approach to building a top practice facility/corporate headquarters and a new football stadium became a model for other NFL teams during the early 2000s. As part of the projects, Gumienny helped the Eagles acquire funding from the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, the City of Philadelphia, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and private sources.
Gumienny coordinated the financing of Lincoln Financial Field’s development, including $180 million in notes and $130 million from a G-3 loan. More than a decade later, he secured $189 million in notes and $60 million from a G-4 loan for stadium renovations, helping to maintain Lincoln Financial Field’s position as one of the best facilities in the NFL. The renovations also increased revenue through ticket sales and corporate sponsorships.
Gumienny has negotiated the use of Lincoln Financial Field for large-scale special events, driving revenue for the organization and the city. Lincoln Financial Field has hosted national and international sporting events, concerts and shows, generating $10 million in revenue per event.
Over the next five years, the goal is to maintain Lincoln Financial Field’s position as a top event venue. It was recently named as one of the host sites for the 2026 World Cup, and the stadium continues to host the annual Army-Navy football game.
In addition to his work with Lincoln Financial Field, Gumienny helped improve the Eagles’ revenue from the NFL’s bottom quartile to the top quartile. He helped increase ticket office sales by 26% and ticket renewal to 99% since 2017. He led the transition to make Lincoln Financial Field cashless in 2021 and was an early adopter of mobile ticketing. He also colaunched the Eagles Autism Challenge, among other philanthropic efforts.
“Frank is an enterprising leader with 25 years of experience in every financial and operational aspect of a professional sports franchise,” the team said. “He is a high-energy problem solver. His ability to unpack complex business situations makes him a go-to leader for innovative solutions.”