We have personnel news from a trio of teams, including the Charlotte Knights (Class AAA; International League), Potomac Nationals (High A; Carolina League), and West Virginia Power (Low A; Sally League).
Along with adding 10 new full-time and four associate staff members, the Knights have has promoted four individuals within their front office.
Among the new additions is Chuck Arnold, who is serving as the team’s new Vice President of Sales. Arnold, a native of East Tennessee, joined the Knights from the Biloxi Shuckers (Class AA; Southern League), where he was the club’s General Manager for the past two seasons. Overall, Arnold has been an executive in Minor League Baseball for over 14 years, including stops with the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Class AA; Southern League) and Johnson City Cardinals (Rookie; Appalachian League). Cassidy MacQuarrie is the Knights’ new Director of Community Relations. A native of New Hampshire, she has spent the past three seasons as the Community Relations Manager for the Round Rock Express (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League). Before that, MacQuarrie was in the front office of the Texas Rangers for two years selling season tickets, suites, groups, and non-game day events. Kyle Guertin has been added as the Knights’ Director of Video Production. Guertin will begin his sixth season in Minor League Baseball in 2018. The Illinois native joined the Knights from the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (High A Myrtle Beach Pelicans), where he spent the past four seasons as the team’s Video Director. Prior to his time in Myrtle Beach, Guertin worked in the video department with the Tulsa Drillers (Class AA; Texas League) in 2013.
Other new additions to the Knights’ front office staff include, Keith Salmon (Assistant Groundskeeper), Patrick Lally (Client Services Manager), Daniel Straney (Ticket Membership Sales Associate), Dylan Evans and Amanda Bullard (Ticket Sales Service Representatives), Nicole Copsis (Special Events Coordinator), and Nicole Dietrich (Premium Services Manager). Salmon comes to the Knights after previously serving as Assistant Groundskeeper for the Richmond Flying Squirrels (Class AA; Eastern League). Lally accepted a full-time role with Charlotte after spending last season with the Gwinnett Braves (Class AAA; International League). Straney spent the previous three seasons in ticket sales with the New Orleans Zephyrs/Baby Cakes (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League). Evans and Bullard each joined the Knights’ full-time staff after working in part-time positions with the club. Dietrich spent the past two seasons working in collegiate baseball at Florida Tech.
Earning promotions for the Knights are Tom Gorter, Tommy Viola, Chelsea Herre, and David Woodard. Gorter, who is entering his eleventh season with the club, has been named Vice President of Stadium Operations. The Michigan native has moved up from assistant to manager to director within the operations department prior to this most recent promotion. He is responsible for overseeing all of the facility operations for BB&T Ballpark including materials acquisition, outside services and game day associate management, repairs, and preventative maintenance.
Viola, the club’s Director of PR/Media Relations since 2012, has been promoted to Vice President of Communications. Viola is set to embark on his seventh season with the Knights and 12th overall in Minor League Baseball in 2018. A native of Brooklyn, NY, Viola will continue to handle of all of the team’s public relations and media relations, while continuing to strengthen the club’s presence on all of its social media platforms.
Herre has been promoted to Director of Special Events after serving as the team’s Special Events Sales Manager for the past two years. The Georgia native is responsible for booking, organizing, and providing the service for all of the team’s non-game day events. While in her previous role, nearly 200 non-game day events have been held at BB&T Ballpark ranging from small corporate meetings to major concerts.
Woodard has been promoted to lead the Knights’ newly-formed Inside Sales Department as the Inside Sales Manager. The Virginian, who enters his second season with the Knights after stints with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans and Reno Aces (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), will also continue to be a Ticket Membership Sales representative for the club.
The Knights have also added four associate staff members to the new Inside Sales Department. Erik Drew, Ryan Lank, Jacklen McManus, and Jeffrey Reisner are each Inside Sales Representatives embarking on their careers with the Knights.
“We are very pleased to add to our staff and elevate several others as we get ready for our 2018 season at BB&T Ballpark,” stated Knights Chief Operating Officer, Dan Rajkowski. “With 70 home games, as well as six collegiate baseball games and more, a front office staff is key to all of our success. We feel that we have a very strong staff in place for another successful season at BB&T Ballpark — our fifth in Uptown Charlotte.”
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The Potomac Nationals have announced several additions and promotions.
Matt LeBlanc, Ticket Operations Manager started in December, while both Meagan Rankin, Group Sales Executive & Picnic Hospitality Manager, and Brice Walker, Corporate Partnership Fulfillment & Promotions Manager, both began in January. Alec Manriquez, who has been with the club since the start of the 2016 season has been promoted to the Director of Season Ticket & Group Ticket Sales, while Will Darmstead, who served as the Stadium Operations Assistant in 2017, is now the Stadium Operations/Merchandising Manager, as well as a Corporate Sales Executive.
LeBlanc, a native of New England, joins the P-Nats from the Delmarva Shorebirds (Low A; Sally League). The 24-year-old has also made a stop with both the Jackson Generals (Class AA; Southern League) in Jackson, TN, and Lowell Spinners (Short Season A; NY-Penn League) in Lowell, MA, where he’s served various roles encompassing everything from group sales to ticket sales to corporate partnerships. LeBlanc graduated from Daniel Webster College in 2015 with a Bachelor’s in Sport Management. A fan of all Boston sports teams, LeBlanc also has a soft spot for the Washington Capitals.
Rankin joins the staff of The Red, White, & Blue as an original resident of Southern California. Currently also a graduate student at Grand Canyon University, she has worked for three separate baseball organizations, which include the Arizona Diamondbacks, Lake County Captains (Low A; Midwest League) in Eastlake, OH, and Sacramento River Cats (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League). Outside of baseball, Rankin has worked for the Ontario Fury Indoor Soccer Team (Ontario, CA, Walt Disney World, and the Smithsonian National Zoo (Washington, D.C.). A lifelong Los Angeles Dodgers fan, Rankin’s favorite team outside of baseball is the Los Angeles Kings.
Walker begins her third season in Minor League baseball and first in the Carolina League. The 22-year-old graduated from Radford University in 2017 with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and a minor in Sports Administration. Before she joined the P-Nats, Walker spent two seasons as the promotions intern with the Greenville Astros (Rookie; Appalachian League). Walker has lived in Northern Virginia for most of her life and is a D.C. sports fan, but also cheers on the University of Florida Gators.
Now in his third year with the organization, Manriquez started with the P-Nats in 2016 as the Box Office Manager. A group sales executive in 2017, he now serves as the Director of Season and Group Ticket Sales. Manriquez graduated from nearby George Mason University in 2016, and although he does cheer for the Redskins, most of his favorite teams reside in the Arizona desert, highlighted by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Darmstead is set to begin his first full season with the P-Nats and his second season overall with the organization. Adding corporate sales to his regimen, the 23-year-old is also the Stadium Operations Manager for the 2018 season. Darmstead graduated from Radford University in 2016, and also worked for the Pulaski Yankees (Rookie; Appalachian League).
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In West Virginia, the Power have announced the hiring of David Kahn as the club’s new Broadcast and Media Relations Manager for the 2018 season. Kahn will be the lead voice on all 140 Power broadcasts, which can be heard on The Jock 1300 and 1340 AM and online at wvpower.com. The 23-year-old replaces Adam Marco, who was recently named as the new Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Class AAA; International League).
Besides his duties on the air, Kahn will be the organization’s new media relations contact, as well as handle team travel and group sales responsibilities.
“I am overjoyed to be a part of the West Virginia Power staff,” Kahn said. “This organization is made up of an incredible group of creative indivudals who are committed to making Power baseball the most desired Charleston attraction, and I cannot wait to begin contributing to those efforts. I look forward to upholding the high standard set by Adam over the last eight years with the Power, as well as fully integrating myself with the fans, players and media.”
Kahn joins the Power after spending last season as a Broadcast and Media Relations Assistant with the Winston-Salem Dash (High A; Carolina League). Previously, the Orlando native worked with the New Orleans Baby Cakes (Class AAA, Pacific Coast League) after graduating from Tulane University in May 2016. In addition to his MiLB experience, Kahn is a studio host at IMG College in Winston-Salem, N.C., for the Tulane football and men’s basketball broadcasts, and will join NBC’s 2018 Olympic Production staff in February.
“We are happy to have David on our staff for the upcoming season,” Power Executive Vice President Ken Fogel said. “While he has some big shoes to fill, we are confident in David’s ability to rise to the occasion. His overall enthusiasm and desire to bring a new perspective to the position will serve us well as the season unfolds. David comes highly recommended, and I think Power fans will enjoy listening to the way he calls a game.”
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