Mike Snee draws parallels between Minnesota and Finland, where the 2023 IIHF Coaching Symposium recently took place.

Mike Snee has been involved in hockey practically since the sport was invented.

In his role as Executive Director of College Hockey Inc., Snee guides marketing efforts to promote Division I men’s college hockey and its work to help grow the number of institutions offering the sport. The non-profit began in 2010, when Snee was the Executive Director of Minnesota Hockey. Before that he was the Director of Corporate Sales for the Minnesota Wild. And way before that, the graduate of the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota started his sports business career as an intern with the Minnesota North Stars.

Suffice to say Snee knows his hockey and the product of Duluth, Minnesota, wears his hometown and home state pride on his sleeve. He’s passionate about growing hockey in Minnesota and in researching for his 2023 IIHF Coaching Symposium presentation, Snee realized there are quite a few similarities between The Gopher State and Finland, where the symposium took place.

During his 45-minute presentation, Snee draws parallels between Minnesota and Finland in how they have both built sustainable, affordable, accessible, inspiring local hockey programs that will continue to grow hockey in both places for years to come.