Trenton, NJ)- The Trenton Thunder, the Double A affiliate of the New York Yankees, have announced several promotions and additions to the Front Office Staff in preparation for the 2012 season that will begin on April 5 at home against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
The Thunder welcome four new employees and have promoted nine from within as the organization moves forward after a year that saw a 5% increase in attendance per game.
“I rank our staff with any in Minor League Baseball. In a business that has annual turnover, we’ve done an outstanding job of adding talented staff members to those positions that have vacancies while keeping a core group of employees intact," said Thunder General Manager Will Smith. "We continue to educate seasonal staff members to give them the tools to become full-time employees. It’s a great business, and we have a tremendous staff. "
"I cannot wait for Opening Day on April 5th to continue to show our fans how hard our staff works throughout the off-season to prepare 71 events for their entertainment,” Smith added.
The staff changes begin with Jeff Hurley who has been promoted to Director, Finance/Baseball Operations. Jeff, who grew up in Hamilton, NJ, was an intern with the Thunder in 2004. He joined the full time ticket sales staff the following year and from 2007-2011 was the Accounting Manager and the team’s baseball operations liason with the New York Yankees.
East Windsor, NJ resident Greg Lavin has been elevated to Director, Creative & Audiovisual Services. He joined the Thunder in 2005 as a Production Department Intern and is responsible for all aspects of game day fan entertainment including in-game promotions, music and videos as well as producing print items such as brochures and other marketing pieces.
The Thunder are pleased to welcome Patrick McMaster as the Director, Corporate Partnerships and Business Development. Patrick, a native of Hanover, PA, has spent the last seven years working in Minor League Baseball including his most recent stop as the Assistant General Manager of Sales for the Charlotte Stone Crabs (Class A, Florida State League).
Bobby Picardo, who began his career as a Thunder intern in 2009, has been promoted to Ticket Sales Manager. Bobby, who grew up in Atlanitc Highlands, NJ, will sell new group and ticket packages, coordinate the Baseball Camp & High School Baseball series as well as help oversee the team’s internship program.
Nate Schneider, who joined the Thunder in 2011, has been promoted to Group Sales Account Executive. The native of Pottsville, PA spent 2010 working for the Reading Phillies and will sell various group and hospitality options to businesses and community groups.
Millstone Township, NJ’s Caitlin Reardon has been promoted to Ticket Sales Account Executive for the 2012 season. Caitlin was a Thunder game day employee from 2006-2008, worked full time for Sky Blue FC of Women’s Professional Soccer for 2009 and 2010 and then rejoined the Thunder last year. In her new role, she will coordinate the team’s Most Improved Student and School Music Awards Programs and sell ticket packages, while also monitoring the team’s presence on Twitter.
Jennifer Murphy, a native of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts has made the transition from Merchandise Assistant to Business Development Executive for 2012. Jennifer spent last season helping manage the Thunder Company Store and will focus on selling season tickets, ticket packages and group outings to local businesses this season.
Jeremy Sanders, who grew up in Scotch Plains, NJ and Caracas, Venezuela, worked as a Ticket Sales Intern for the Thunder in 2011. He has joined the staff full time as a Ticket Sales Account Representative where he will sell ticket packages and serve as a team liason to the local Spanish-speaking community.
Chris Kiernan has joined the Thunder as a Seasonal Group Sales Account Representative. Chris, a native of Lacey, NJ, spent the 2011 season as a Ticket Sales Assistant with the Lakewood BlueClaws (Class A, South Atlantic League) and will coordinate group outings at the ballpark for companies and community organizations.
Lindsey Ravior of Minotola, NJ, has been brought on as a Seasonal Group Sales Account Representative. Lindsey spent last season working in the Ticket Department for the Wilmington Blue Rocks (Class A, Carolina League).
Two members of the 2011 Trenton Thunder Internship Program, Jess Ridolfino of Crosswicks, NJ and Kevin Ertel of Brick, NJ have joined the Front Office Staff for next season. Jess will serve as a Ticket Sales Intern while Kevin will serve as Group Sales Coordinator.
Rounding out the staff changes is the hiring of Breanne O’Neill as Merchandise Assistant. Breanne, from Yardley, PA, is a June 2011 graduate of Drexel University.
The Thunder Front Office now includes ten people who served as interns for the organization. These include Hurley, Lavin, Picardo, Reardon, Sanders, Ridolfino and Ertel above as well as Director of Ticket Operations Matt Pentima, Stadium Operations Manager Steve Brokowsky and Group Sales Account Executive T.J. Jahn. FULL STAFF LIST
The 2012 Trenton Thunder season will begin on Thursday, April 5 against New Hampshire. Season Tickets, Group Tickets, Pic-A-Plans and Mini Plans are all on sale now at trentonthunder.com.
— THUNDER —
The Trenton Thunder, Double A Affiliate of the New York Yankees, are located in Trenton, NJ and play in the 12 team Eastern League. The Thunder have drawn over 7.3 million fans in 18 years and have won the three major awards that Minor League Baseball teams can win; the Johnson Trophy for the "Nation’s Best Franchise" (2005), the Larry MacPhail Trophy for Outstanding Club Promotion (2003) and the Bob Frietas Award for Long-Term Success (1998, given by Baseball America). The team has given back over $4.4 million worth of goods, services and monetary donations through Trenton Thunder Charities, under the Grand Slam We Care Foundation umbrella. The Thunder can be found online at trentonthunder.com, facebook.com/trentonthunder, twitter.com/trentonthunder and on youtube.com by searching "AATrentonThunder".
