There is some personnel news to report, as Ryan Keur is departing the Burlington Royals (Rookie; Appalachian League) to become president of the Daytona Tortugas (High A; Florida State League).
“Ryan is one of the most respected leaders in our industry,” said Reese Smith, managing partner of the Tortugas. “My partners and I are thrilled that Ryan is choosing Daytona Beach and are expecting great things under his leadership. We are determined to become an even bigger contributor to the community and a brighter focal point for family entertainment in Volusia County.”
Longtime General Manager Josh Lawther will continue in that same capacity and report to Keur.
“I’m excited to join the Tortugas organization and entrench myself locally,” said Keur. “The Tortugas are more than just a baseball team. It’s an integral part of the fabric of Volusia County, not only for the nearly 600,000 residents of the Fun Coast, but also for the hundreds of thousands of out-of-town visitors who enjoy its beaches and come for Bike Week and races at Daytona International Speedway annually. I look forward to meeting our partners, season ticket holders and supporters of the team.”
Keur is a graduate of Elon University and comes to Daytona from the Burlington Royals, where he spent the previous three seasons as the club’s General Manager. During his six seasons with the Royals, average attendance nearly doubled and reached all-time highs in both revenues and attendance. Keur was also named the Appalachian League Executive of the Year each of the past three seasons. In 2015 and 2016, the Royals were awarded the Appalachian League Promotional Award of Excellence. Keur was recently awarded the prestigious “Matt Minker Award” for Excellence within the Kansas City Royals organization. Keur worked closely with the City of Burlington to oversee several stadium renovation projects, including a new scoreboard, new team clubhouse and office space, and new elevated premium seating.