William H.C. Chang

Executive Chairman, D.C. United

William H.C. Chang purchased full ownership interest of D.C. United on May 21, 2009 and serves as Executive Chairman. He originally purchased the team with Victor MacFarlane on January 1, 2007 from Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG).

Chang also serves as Chairman of Westlake International Group and is the driving force behind the company’s vision and direction. Westlake is a privately held diversified investment company with operations in the United States, China, Latin America, Japan, India, and Canada. Investments span private and public equities, including venture capital, professional sports, media and entertainment, emerging technologies, life sciences, supply chain management, and real estate.

Chang is an active investor in early stage technology companies through his Edge Venture Capital Fund, with a particular focus on nurturing next generation mobile, social networking, new media and entertainment technologies.

Chang’s associations and affiliations include: the Asian Business League (Founding Chairman); California Foundation on the Environment and the Economy (Director); California International Relations Foundation (Director); Chinese American Association of Commerce (Founder); City Club of San Francisco (Founding Governor); Harvard University (Asia Center and Committee on University Resources); The Asia Foundation (Trustee); and World President’s Organization.

In addition to D. C. United, Chang is also on the Executive Committee of the ownership group that owns the San Francisco Giants Baseball Club and ATT Park.

Chang has a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Harvard College, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Kevin J. Payne

President and Chief Executive Officer, D.C. United

After careers as an award-winning radio journalist in New York City and as a marketing and special events executive in Vail, CO, Kevin Payne became the National Administrator, and the Director of Marketing of the United States Soccer Federation in 1989. In 1991, he moved to New York and became the Executive Vice President and, ultimately, the President of Soccer USA Partners, which owned all marketing, broadcast and event promotion rights to the U.S. National Team leading up to the 1994 and 1998 World Cups.

In 1994, Payne created the first ownership group for D.C. United and the team began Major League Soccer play in 1996. Since then, D.C. United has become the most successful team in United States professional soccer history, boasting 12 major domestic and international championships.

Payne is a founding member of the MLS/SUM Board of Governors, serves as a board member and Chairman of the Technical Committee for the U.S. Soccer Federation, is the Vice Chairman of the U. S. Soccer Foundation, and is a member of the FIFA Standing Committee for Club Football. Payne is also a founding board member of the Greater Washington Sports Alliance and a member of the Federal City Council in Washington, D.C.