Our old friend Bill Terlecky received a nice honor today: the general manager of the North Shore Navigators was named the summer-collegiate Futures Collegiate Baseball League’s 2012 Executive of the Year.
The announcement was made by FCBL commissioner, Chris Hall, as part of the league’s annual post-season awards. This represents the inaugural Executive of the Year Award. The FCBL awards are voted on by owners, general managers and personnel from each of the league’s member clubs.
“Bill is a true leader and mentor to all members of the Futures League. We are fortunate to have his experience and character in the league,” Hall said. “It’s fitting that he is the first person to win this award.”
The Executive of the Year Award is Terlecky’s second. He won his first award in 1991 as the GM of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons (Class AAA; International League). Terlecky has spent over thirty years in Minor League Baseball. He has been a general manager at the Triple-A, Double-A and Independent levels. He started his career in 1979 as a sales executive for the Rochester Red Wings (Class AAA; International League) spending six seasons with the Red Wings and served as Co-General Manager during his final three seasons.
In 2001, he was named GM of the Binghamton Mets (Class AA; Eastern League). The B-Mets enjoyed a surge in attendance and community involvement as a result of his fan-friendly style of management. For his success in Binghamton he was awarded the Frank Cashen award for minor league excellence presented by the New York Mets following the 2002 season.
In 2007, he moved to independent baseball as the General Manager of the Gary-SouthShore Rail Cats (independent; American Association), owned by Pat Salvi, current owner of the Navigators. Under his leadership the Rail Cats recorded the two highest attendance figures in the history of the franchise. Following the 2007 season he was named the Minor League General Manager of the Year by the Chicago Pitch and Hit Club.
The 2013 season with the Navigators will mark Terlecky’s 35th season working in baseball, and his second with the Navigators.
“Bill Terlecky is not only an outstanding baseball executive, he is a terrific person,” Salvi said. “I asked Bill to run the Navigators just months before the season started, and in that short time he became part of the North Shore community, learned the market, and turned the Navs into one of the FCBL’s top franchises. The fans, players and his league colleagues have the highest respect and admiration for him. We are proud and honored to have him as our leader and thrilled that he won the award.”
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