We have personnel news today from the Nashville Sounds (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), Vermont Lake Monsters and State College Spikes (both short season A; NY-Penn League).
In Nashville, Garry Arthur is the new Chief Operating Officer for the Sounds. Arthur had previously served as a senior advisor to Sounds ownership, dating back to MFP Baseball LLC‘s acquisition of the club in 2009.
“I am very pleased to have Garry step into this role during a very exciting time for the Sounds franchise,” said owner Frank Ward. “His vast knowledge of the industry and previous experience in opening a new minor league ballpark are very important as we celebrate the opening of First Tennessee Park and a new era of baseball in Nashville.”
Nashville is Arthur’s fourth stop in the Pacific Coast League. He previously served a combined 14 seasons as General Manager in Sacramento (1999-2004), Vancouver (1998-99), and Calgary (1989-95).
Arthur was the 2002 winner of The Sporting News’ Minor League Executive of the Year award, a prestigious award that is selected from all executives among the 176 minor league teams. He was also named as the 1999 recipient of the PCL Executive of the Year award.
“Many of us longstanding members of the Pacific Coast League have held the belief that with the right ownership and a new stadium Nashville could return to being one of the premiere franchises in all of Triple-A Baseball,” Arthur said. “A committed-to-excellence ownership and the magnificent First Tennessee Park is now here, and I feel my involvement is both an honor and privilege. I look forward to guiding this young talented staff to ensure that everyone’s experience at First Tennessee Park is a memorable one.”
Arthur served as Senior Vice President and General Manager of the River Cats during the team’s first six seasons in Sacramento from 1999-2004 and oversaw the successful opening of Raley Field. During his six years as Sacramento GM, Arthur was affiliated with the Oakland Athletics organization, the new parent club of the Sounds.
After departing Sacramento at the conclusion of the 2004 campaign, Arthur served as a consultant to the River Cats as well as to the Pacific Coast League, chairing its Scheduling Committee. He has been associated with the PCL since October 1988 when he was named General Manager of the Triple-A Calgary Cannons, a position he held for seven seasons from until 1995.
After his Cannons stint, he was named Vice President of Japan Sports Systems, a Japan-based company which owned the Triple-A Vancouver Canadians, in November 1996. He became General Manager of the Canadians in 1998, and he held that position until the franchise was relocated to Sacramento following the 1999 Triple-A World Championship season.
Prior to his career in baseball, Arthur spent five years working for the XV Olympic Winter Games, which were held in 1988 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He began his tenure with the XV Olympic Winter Games as the Manager of Information Systems (1984-85) and was promoted to Press Secretary (1985-87) in 1985. In 1987, he was appointed Director of the Chairman’s Office for the XV Olympic Winter Games. For his efforts (the Games made a $146 million profit), Arthur received the Alberta Achievement Award in 1988.
His professional career began in sports broadcasting. Arthur was a broadcaster with CBC (Canada) radio and television for 12 years and spent one year as Vice President of All-Pro Sports Consultants, Inc. (1984).
The native of Vancouver, British Columbia has two grown children: a daughter, Stacey, and a son, Jamie.
Arthur will lead the entire Sounds front office staff and be joined on the club’s senior management team by Brandon Yerger, Senior Vice President of Fan Experience; Doug Scopel, Senior Vice President of Operations; Jason Franke, Senior Vice President of Corporate & Premium Partnerships; and James Rozzoni, Vice President of Stadium Operations.
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The Vermont Lake Monsters have a new Director of Community Relations and Promotions: Noelle Richard.
Richard joins the Lake Monsters after spending the 2014 season as a Regional Sales Manager for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Class AAA; International League) and 2013 as a Public Relations/Photography Intern for the Lowell Spinners (short season A; NY-Penn League).
A native of Wareham, Mass. and a 2012 graduate from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst with a B.A. in Journalism and Communications, Richard has also worked previously for ABC40 in Springfield, Mass. as a news desk intern and for WCTV’s public access channel broadcasts of Cape Cod Baseball League games.
As Director of Community Relations and Promotions, some of Richard’s primary Lake Monsters responsibilities will include helping to create and improve the overall fan experience at historic Centennial Field, manage gameday promotions and oversee community appearances by Lake Monster players and mascot CHAMP.
“We are very excited for Noelle to bring her experience and energy to the Lake Monsters organization,” says General Manager Joe Doud. “Noelle has a lot of enthusiasm for the community and baseball industry, and we look forward to sharing that with our fans this season.”
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New with the State College Spikes: Matt Hoover as Assistant General Manager of Marketing.
Hoover will coordinate the Spikes’ marketing efforts as well as oversee the club’s community relations programs and enhance the in-game entertainment experience for fans at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
The 35-year-old Hoover returns to the Greenberg Sports Group family after serving as the Assistant General Manager of Marketing and Promotions for the Altoona Curve (Class AA; Eastern League) from 2011-2014.
Hoover also makes a homecoming to State College after spending the Spikes’ inaugural 2006 season as the franchise’s Assistant Director of Marketing and Promotions. The Hollidaysburg, PA native then earned a promotion to Director of Marketing and Promotions for the Spikes and Curve from the fall of 2006 to the fall of 2008. Hoover continued to fill the same role in Altoona after the sale of the Curve, and also assumed duties as Interim Director of Ticketing for the 2010 season before his ascension to Assistant GM.
“I am excited to be back in State College, where I began my career, and to be part of a great front office staff,” Hoover said. “Working with President Jason Dambach, General Manager Scott Walker and Assistant GM of Operations Dan Petrazzolo is something I look forward to with great anticipation. Spikes fans will be very pleased with what’s in store as we celebrate ten seasons in State College and another fun-filled summer at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.”
“The addition of Matt Hoover will yield tremendous dividends for our organization,” said Spikes General Manager Scott Walker. “Matt’s familiarity with the area and enthusiasm for bringing a family-friendly experience to our fans are valuable assets for the Spikes as we enter the 2015 season.”