Education
The oldest of three sons of a Greek immigrant family who owned a small restaurant in Detroit, Karmanos attended Henry Ford High School and graduated from Wayne State University in 1973.
The oldest of three sons of a Greek immigrant family who owned a small restaurant in Detroit, Karmanos attended Henry Ford High School and graduated from Wayne State University in 1973.
He owned the Plymouth Whalers junior hockey club from its establishment in 1990 until 2015. Karmanos served as Compuware"s Chief Executive Officer until June 20, 2011, when he became executive chairman. Karmanos retired from Compuware on March 31, 2013 but maintained a consultant role within the company.
Compuware terminated his post-retirement consulting agreement, effective October 1, 2013.
He has since opened a new computer firm, Mad Dog Technology. Karmanos cofounded the Detroit Compuware Hockey organization in the late 1970s with Thewes.
The organization includes all levels of hockey from recreational to American Automobile Association and Junior A. The Ontario Hockey League awarded an expansion franchise on December 11, 1989 to be known as the Detroit Compuware Ambassadors. The team later became the Detroit Junior Red Wings, Detroit Whalers and then Plymouth Whalers following a relocation to nearby Plymouth.
In 2015, Karmanos sold the Whalers to the owners of Flint"s Perani Arena and Event Center, and the franchise was renamed Flint Firebirds.
He also sold the Plymouth arena to United States of America Hockey. At the time, they had committed to keeping the team in Hartford for at least four years. Connecticut"s then-governor Lowell P. Weicker announced that Karmanos would be critical for the team to stay in Hartford.
Karmanos was unable to sell 11,000 season tickets in Hartford during the 1995–1996 National Hockey League season and announced the team would leave Hartford before a new city had been found if the Whalers were unable to sell 11,000 season tickets for the 1996–1997 season.
Even though they surpassed 11,000 season tickets in 1996-1997, the team was moved to Raleigh, North Carolina and renamed the Carolina Hurricanes following the 1996–1997 season. As a result, Karmanos is still reviled by many people in Connecticut.
Foreign his day with the Cup, he brought it to Compuware Headquarters in Detroit, and allowed employees to get their photo taken individually with the Cup. Karmanos" Gale Force Holdings has a subsidiary dedicated to the National Hockey League, Hurricanes Holdings, Limited Liability Company, which includes the Hurricanes and their stadium, PNC Arena.
The holdings also include the Hurricanes"s ECHL affiliate Florida Everblades, along with stadium Germain Arena in Fort Myers, Florida.
He was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in the Builder Category in 2015. Karmanos also sponsors youth hockey programs in Michigan. Under his backing, Karmanos youth hockey teams have accumulated numerous state, national and international tournaments.
Weicker later became a member of the Compuware Board of Directors.