The Mobile BayBears finalize a front-office staff for 2009.As the Mobile BayBears (Class AA; Southern League) begin their 13th season, President/COO Bill Shanahan has announced several new additions and promotions to their front office staff for the 2009 season, including the advancement of ten-year BayBear staff member Jeff Long who is now the club’s General Sales Manager as well as John Hilliard who has assumed a role as Assistant General Manager.
Long is a Montgomery native who attended Auburn University. Since joining the BayBears, he has continuously moved up through the ranks of the sales staff, most recently as Assistant General Manager and Director of Group Sales. Hilliard spent three seasons on the game day staff before overseeing all Stadium and Baseball Operations.
Also being promoted to welcome in the ’09 campaign are second-year staff members Sarah Martin and Garrett Wolf. Martin, a graduate of Mobile Christian and Auburn University, is now the Director of Communications and Marketing while Wolf, a University of Mobile Alum, takes over as Director of Group Sales.
Lloyd Meyers grabs the reins as Director of Corporate Sales and Youth Programs while entering his fifth season in Mobile. Meyers is a graduate of Valdosta State University in Georgia. Brenton Heffernan enters his third season with the BayBears, and his first as the club’s Full-Time Groundskeeper. Heffernan interned for the BayBears in 2007 and spent last year as an assistant groundskeeper to Daniel Ruggiero.
Joining the BayBears’ staff for the first time in 2009 are Jason Wilford (Stadium Operations), Timothy McCarthy (Ticker Sales/Operations), Lucas Smith (Promotions/Entertainment Assistant), Sean Rosales (Audio/Visual/Sales) and Colonel Bob DeStafney, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.) who will serve as Special Assistant to President/COO Bill Shanahan.
Wilford attended Wake Forest University and comes to the BayBears after spending last season with the Winston-Salem Warthogs. McCarthy, a Michigan native, graduated from Aquinas College and has previously worked for the West Michigan Whitecaps. Rosales is a senior at Indiana University and is pursuing a career in Sports Communication. Smith, an Illinois native, worked with Ripken Baseball last season as an Entertainment Coordinator for the Aberdeen IronBirds. Colonel DeStafney, a Pensacola native, joins the BayBears after recently retiring from 30 years in the United States Marines.
Rounding out the 2009 Mobile BayBears Front Office Staff are Assistant General Manager/Director of Finance Betty Adams (13th season), Assistant GM/Curator of Hank Aaron Museum Mike Callahan (6th season), Director of Community Relations/Gift Shop Manager Cindy Bunn (4th season), Audio/Visual/Press Box Director Ari Rosenbaum (4th season), Internet Liaison/Team Chaplain Lorin Barr (11th season), Play-by-Play Broadcaster/Director of Media Relations Wayne Randazzo (2nd season), Director of On-Deck Circle Operations Wade Vadakin (12th season) and Clubhouse Manager Rick Schweitzer (5th season).