PHILADELPHIA — After the Chicago Blackhawks named Jaime Faulkner their president of business operations on Dec. 16, 2020, a flower arrangement was delivered to her. The sender? The first woman to ever be hired to that position in the NHL — the Flyers’ Valerie Camillo.
Camillo, who helped blaze the trail for women in senior positions in hockey when she was hired by the Flyers in 2018, believes strongly in signals and was expressing her delight in Faulkner’s news. Whether it comes in the form of flowers, notes, phone calls, or Gritty videos, when women around the league see Camillo’s name listed as the sender, they experience a tangible sign of her support.
That support marks a generational shift. Camillo’s mentors in the male-dominated fields in which she has worked told her stories about women competing against one another for one spot at the table. But in recent years, women in these prominent positions have realized the benefits of helping and supporting one another, said Kim Stone, president of UBS Arena and a mentor of Camillo’s.
