WYOMISSING, Pa.—PENN Entertainment has announced that longtime Disney and ESPN executive Aaron LaBerge has been named chief technology officer effective July 1, 2024. LaBerge will report directly to PENN CEO and president Jay Snowden.
PENN Entertainment operates ESPN’s sports book, ESPN Bet.
In his new role, LaBerge will be responsible for driving the technology strategy and execution for PENN, while leading the multinational team of technologists and serving as the key business leader for the company’s Interactive division, the company reported.
LaBerge spent more than 20 years at The Walt Disney Company, in two stints separated by five and a half years as a senior technologist. He was most recently president & chief technology officer for Disney Entertainment and ESPN where he was responsible for driving all technology and product development in support of The Walt Disney Company’s two media divisions.
“We are thrilled to have someone of Aaron’s caliber join our PENN executive team,” said Snowden. “Having overseen a global organization of thousands of engineers, product developers, designers, technologists, and data scientists that created some of the largest scale and most successful media properties in the world, there is no better candidate to lead our Technology and Interactive division into its future. I know Aaron is looking forward to working with Todd George, our head of operations, and our entire Executive Team to continue growing our position as a leader in online gaming, sports betting, and digital sports media.”
“I'm excited to join another talented team at PENN Interactive and lead our technology strategy,” said LaBerge. “PENN Entertainment is at the forefront of the fast-changing gaming and sports media industry. I plan to use my experience from Disney and ESPN to help make ESPN Bet an essential piece of the sports fan experience. Together, we'll push the limits and redefine how fans interact with sports and gaming.”
Prior to his most recent role at the Walt Disney Company, LaBerge was executive vice president and chief technology officer at ESPN from 2015 to 2018. At ESPN he played an instrumental role in the growth of ESPN’s consumer-facing digital media products and services – leading many of ESPN’s most ambitious and challenging projects and helping establish ESPN’s position as the leader in digital sports and innovative sports technology development. He was a key architect in the design, development, and engineering of ESPN’s state-of-the-art facilities in Bristol, Conn.; Los Angeles, Calif; Charlotte, N.C.; and Austin, Texas, as well as data centers and infrastructure that connect those facilities around the world, as well as the technology design and development to support the launch of the multi-platform SEC Network.
Between 2007 and 2012, LaBerge was co-founder and CEO of Fanzter, Inc. – a venture-funded consumer software and digital product development company. At Fanzter, he directed all day-to-day operations and led the development and launch of a variety of consumer-focused internet and mobile products, ground-breaking social and commerce technologies and more.
A passionate engineer, technologist, innovator, and an avid sports fan, LaBerge is a native of Charleston, S.C. and earned his degree in electrical and computer engineering from the University of South Carolina.
