P3R CEO Steps Down to Start New Sports Management Firm
His departure comes just after the organization's successful execution of the Pittsburgh Marathon and 2026 NFL Draft.
PHOTO BY OLLIE GRATZINGER | P3R PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN ORGANIZING THE 2026 NFL DRAFT.
The head of P3R, the Pittsburgh-based event management firm responsible for the annual Pittsburgh Marathon and, in part, for the 2026 NFL Draft, is starting his own company.
After more than a decade shaping Pittsburgh’s running and sports-event landscape, Troy Schooley will step down as CEO of P3R to launch Thrive Sports Group. The new sports management and advisory firm will focus on producing high-impact sporting events, building strategic partnerships and creating community-driven experiences across North America and around the world, a statement reads.
Thrive Sports Group’s long-term vision includes developing a major youth sports complex that will serve as a transformational asset for the region.
“Leading P3R has been one of the greatest honors of my professional career,” Schooley says in a statement. “As I begin this next chapter with Thrive Sports Group, I’m grateful for the relationships, the memories, and the opportunity to help shape the future of sports in this region.”
Under Schooley’s leadership, P3R experienced significant growth and expansion. Signature events, including the DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon Weekend, EQT Pittsburgh 10 Miler & 10k and America’s Mile, reached record participation levels and generated substantial economic impact for the region, the organization says.
P3R also expanded its event management capabilities through strategic partnerships with organizations such as the Pittsburgh Steelers, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and Pittsburgh Penguins. The organization played a critical role in helping prepare Pittsburgh for the 2026 NFL Draft, providing expertise in event operations, transportation planning, hospitality and volunteer management for what became the largest sporting event in Pittsburgh history.
Beyond major events, Schooley championed programs. Kids of STEEL, RUN Varsity and P3R’s youth sports clinics now reach thousands annually, and the Run for a Reason Charity Program raised more than $1.5 million in 2026 for nonprofit partners. He was recognized twice by the Pittsburgh Business Times in its Pittsburgh Power 100 list, in both 2025 and 2026.
The P3R Board of Directors has since appointed board president Robert Shooer as interim CEO and retained a national search firm to lead the search for the organization’s next chief executive.
