Former Chiefs Executive To Be Honored With Rashford-Lyon Award
Denny Thum, a 1974 graduate of Rockhurst University who spent 36 years with the Kansas City Chiefs during one of the franchise’s most successful periods, will be honored by his alma mater with the Rashford-Lyon Award for Leadership and Ethics as part of the Rockhurst University Leadership Series on Wednesday, April 2.
A St. Louis native, Thum began his career with the club as an accountant upon graduating from Rockhurst University. In the following years, he would become an integral member of the front office during one of the franchise’s most successful periods, serving in roles such as executive vice president, chief operating officer, assistant general manager under Carl Peterson, and ultimately president.
Thum helped guide business strategy to ensure long-term sustainability for the team and was actively involved in the negotiation of player contracts with an eye toward staying within the league’s yearly salary cap. He also helped negotiate the team’s lease agreement for Arrowhead Stadium, the renovation of the new Arrowhead in 2010, and was at the forefront during the establishment of the team’s current training camp site in St. Joseph, Missouri.
In addition to his leadership with the Chiefs, Thum gave back to Rockhurst as a member of the Board of Trustees from 2008 to 2017, including a term as the board’s chair, as a member of the board for the alumni association, and through his ongoing support for campus projects and initiatives. In 2006, he was honored by the University for his outstanding contributions as an alumnus and was the 2014 Honor Man recipient by Sigma Alpha Epsilon.
Outside of Rockhurst, Thum has served on the board of directors for the St. Joseph Medical Center Foundation and for SAFE (Surviving Spouse & Family Endowment Fund) to benefit the lives of the families of fallen first responders. Other charitable causes he has undertaken with his wife, Carmen, include the Medical Mission Foundation and The Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired (CCVI). Together the Thums chaired the Red Ball benefitting Red Cross and the Notre Dame de Sion Gala Auction as well as the Chiefs Charity Game benefitting CCVI. In 2025, he was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.
Thum and his wife and two daughters currently reside in Kansas City, Missouri.
The Rashford-Lyon Award for Leadership and Ethics is named for two of Rockhurst’s influential leaders: the late Tom Lyon, Ph.D., and the Rev. Nick Rashford, S.J. Established in 2014, the Rashford-Lyon Award for Leadership and Ethics honors recipients who exemplify high ethical standards of business conduct with excellence in leadership as demonstrated by outstanding initiative, impact of work and inspiration to others.
As the latest recipient of the Rashford-Lyon Award, Thum joins a prestigious list of recipients that includes Tom Lyon, Ph.D.; Jane Chu, Ph.D., ’05 EMBA; Mayor Sly James, ’80; Patricia Cleary Miller, Ph.D.; Tom McCullough, ’64, and Tom McDonnell, ’66; Jean Dunn, Wendy Doyle, ’94, Lisa Ginter, ’87, Ama Karikari, M.D., ’07, Marny Sherman, ’75, and Bridgette Williams, ’16 EMBA; Joe Reardon, '90; Madeline Romious, ’95 MBA; and Dave Harrison, ’81.
The 2025 Rockhurst University Leadership Series event features James Brown, host of “NFL Today” on CBS and a three-time Emmy Award-winning network broadcaster, presenting “Break the Huddle and Run the Play,” scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 2, at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, 1601 Broadway Boulevard in Kansas City, Missouri. Visit rockhurst.edu/leadershipseries for more information.
