We have personnel news from a pair of Low-A South Atlantic League teams, as the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers and the Delmarva Shorebirds announce front office staff additions.
The Shorebirds are adding Billy Blackwell, Chris Borysewicz, Nikki Meredith, and Ben Vigliarolo, to their 2020 front office staff, while moving Will DeBoer and Chip Woytowitz into new roles.
Blackwell enters his first season with Delmarva as the Director of Stadium Operations. Before the Shorebirds, Blackwell served as the Stadium Operations Assistant in 2019 for the Frederick Keys (High A; Carolina League), and with two separate teams in the summer-collegiate Coastal Plain League prior. A University of South Carolina graduate, Blackwell is originally from Rockville, Maryland.
Borysewicz comes to the Shorebirds as a Ticket Sales Account Executive. Entering his fourth season in affiliated baseball, Borysewicz has spent the last two seasons as a Group Sales Coordinator for the Oklahoma City Dodgers (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) and the prior year as an Inside Sales Representative with the Peoria Chiefs (Low A; Midwest League). Originally from Richmond, Virginia, Boryweicz attended both East Carolina University and Old Dominion University.
Meredith joins the Shorebirds for her first season as a Ticket Sales Account Executive. Previously, Meredith was the Vice President of Rookie Recruiting, LLC’s student-athlete division and the Program Coordinator at Talbot Parks and Recreation. Originally from Federalsburg, Maryland, she also served as an Assistant Varsity Girls Basketball Coach at Sussex Tech from 2011-2018. Meredith holds a Master’s Degree from Wilmington University.
Vigliarolo joins the Shorebirds as Director of Marketing. He comes to the Eastern Shore after spending 2019 as the Marketing and Communications Manager for the Beloit Snappers (Low A; Midwest League). Prior to his affiliated baseball experience, Vigliarolo spent two summers working for the West Virginia Miners (summer collegiate; Prospect League). Originally from West Bloomfield, Michigan, Vigliarolo graduated from Trine University with a B.A. in Communication.
DeBoer has been elevated to full-time Director of Broadcasting & Communications and will continue as the radio voice of the Shorebirds, a role he has held since 2017. Originally from West Lafayette, Indiana, DeBoer graduated with a B.A. from Hope College and a M.P.A. from Columbus State University. He is also the lead broadcaster for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore men’s and women’s basketball teams.
The 2020 season marks the second for Woytowitz with the Shorebirds, who will transition to the team’s Community Relations Manager. Prior to starting as an Account Executive for the Shorebirds in 2019, Woytowitz spent two years with the Norfolk Tides (Class AAA; International League) in their Group Sales and Stadium Operations departments. Originally from Annapolis, Woytowitz holds a B.S. in Sports Management from Old Dominion University.
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In Kannapolis, the Cannon Ballers have announced trio of additions to their front office staff.
“Elevating the fan experience is the core of our focus this offseason,” said Cannon Ballers General Manager Matt Millward. “The flourishing backgrounds of these three newcomers allow us to make significant strides as we approach our inaugural season at the Kannapolis Sports and Entertainment Venue.”
As fans head to the Box Office and enter the gates of the ballpark, they can anticipate a warm welcome from Jake Brewer, the Ticket Leprechaun. Beyond being the Cannon Ballers’ “lucky charm,” Brewer’s role will include overseeing the team’s ticket operation and providing key contributions to further enhance a fan-driven experience. A native of Franklin, NC, he joins the Kannapolis staff after spending six seasons with the Gastonia Grizzlies (summer collegiate; Coastal Plain League). In addition to introducing the Ticket Leprechaun persona, Brewer served in many different capacities with Gastonia and was ultimately elevated to the role of Assistant General Manager. Brewer was also a part of Fans First Entertainment and assisted with the launch of the Savannah Bananas (CPL).
“I’m excited to be a part of everything the Cannon Ballers are going to bring to Minor League Baseball,” said Brewer. “With an exciting new identity and first-class family venue, I look forward to making each Cannon Ballers game a truly unique experience. Within moments of meeting the Ticket Leprechaun, fans will quickly notice our commitment to creating a fun, unique, and welcoming environment.”
Making an immediate impact and credited for introducing a new line of Cannon Ballers merchandise, the team is thrilled to introduce Tayler Gainer as Director of Retail Operations. Gainer, a native of Fayetteville, NC, graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. in Sports Administration. She comes to the Cannon Ballers after spending nearly three years with USA Baseball. Gainer coordinated a number of retail initiatives for the organization, eventually being promoted to Assistant Director of Retail.
“It has been an unforgettable experience promoting the Cannon Ballers brand to not only the Kannapolis area, but all baseball fans around the country,” commented Gainer. “The positive response from the community has been overwhelming and this is just a sampling of the dynamic offerings we will showcase this season.”
Rounding out the front office additions, Emily Goddard joins the ranks of the Cannon Ballers full-time staff after spending the last two seasons as a team associate. A recent graduate of Catawba College with a B.S. in Sports Management, Goddard will serve as the team’s Sales and Retail Coordinator, contributing to both the ticketing and retail operations.