Luann Horton-Murad

Luann Horton-Murad has established herself as an accomplished sports executive and a community advocate who strives to make the region a better place for all.

As the Executive Administrator of the Utica Comets professional ice hockey team and Utica FC professional indoor soccer team, Ms. Horton-Murad serves as a dedicated and integral orchestrator of day-to-day hockey operations and administrative proceedings for the team. She is responsible for daily office operations and finance, along with the establishment and the implementation of operational policies, goals, and objectives.

In this position, Ms. Horton-Murad brings an extensive knowledge of principles, methods, and practices relating to hockey operations to the Comets organization. She previously worked with various hockey teams, including the 1981-82 Mohawk Valley Stars ACHL Championship team.

Ms. Horton-Murad has made it a priority to support a variety of charitable organizations and causes including the “Save of the Day” Foundation, an organization committed to enhancing the lives of children and families throughout the Mohawk Valley, and the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties, an organization creating transformative social impact through the stewardship of more than $175 million in charitable community assets. She also supports Empowered Pathways, which is dedicated to helping individuals create solutions and move forward through empowerment, advocacy, and education, and the House of the Good Shepherd, a leading provider of treatment, education, and support programs to children and their families.

Ms. Horton-Murad is one of the founding members of the Utica Professional Hockey Alumni Association, which raises money through its annual golf tournament to benefit a variety of organizations in the area.

Ms. Horton-Murad was married to the late Bill Horton, who was a professional hockey player in the World Hockey Association (WHA) and the International Hockey League (IHL). He also served as coach and general manager in the ACHL, coached the Mohawk Valley Stars to the 1981-82 Championship, and was named ACHL Coach of the Year.

A Utica native, Ms. Horton-Murad currently resides in New Hartford with her husband, George C. Murad. She has one son and daughter-in-law, Bill and Jonna Horton.