Blue Crabs hire Viniard to be GM

Friday, Nov. 16, 2007

Click here to enlarge this photo Submitted Photo New Blue Crabs general manager Mark Viniard, right, stands with season ticket holder Richard Cox. E-Mail This Article | Print This Story

Viniard, 39, has worked in minor league baseball since 1991, climbing his way from an intern to general manager through stints with six teams. That included a position as assistant general manager for a team in Kannapolis, N.C., during the inaugural season and construction of a new stadium in 1995. Viniard eventually became the general manager in 1997, so his experience with building an organization from scratch should be invaluable.

‘‘It’s a very exciting opportunity and a great opportunity personally,” Viniard said. ‘‘I feel very comfortable having this position again. There’s a lot of similarities here. That’s the fun of this job, building the staff, being involved in the community, doing whatever we need to do to let everyone know this is a great project.”

Viniard had been working with Brad Sims, Opening Day Partners senior vice president, who filled the general manager position on an interim basis. The organization worked to fill the position before this week’s season-ticket holder events to let the new general manager get a head start on building a relationship with fans. Viniard’s experience with the position and the organization made for a natural fit.

‘‘We’re ecstatic,” said senior director of marketing Andy Frankel. ‘‘Mark came on board in the beginning of August and was kind of a parent from day one. His passion for baseball in Southern Maryland was huge. I think it made ownership’s decision easy as far as elevating him.”

A native of Hamilton, Ill., Viniard is responsible for overseeing all day-to-day business operations of the club, including ticket sales, group sales, corporate partnerships and marketing.

Viniard and other officials with the Blue Crabs had a meeting Wednesday with the Charles County school board to discuss an educational partnership that would include a reading incentive program that can earn tickets, a baseball and education day and sponsoring teacher of the year awards. Viniard says he plans on meeting with the school boards of St. Mary’s and Calvert counties.

For Viniard, whose father was a principal and superintendent in Illinois for over 30 years, the ties to the local schools hits on a more personal level.

‘‘I take that to a different level,” Viniard said. ‘‘It’s even more important to me. We are a professional baseball team, but we want to provide affordable family entertainment. You don’t have to be a baseball fan to have a good time at a minor league game.”

One of Viniard’s first priorities will be to hire the club’s first field manager. Viniard said ownership is close to having the process finalized and hopes to hire a candidate by the end of November. Viniard named Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter, former Detroit Tigers slugger Cecil Fielder, former Philadelphia Phillies player and minor league manager Von Hayes and former Boston Red Sox third baseman and manager Butch Hobson as possibilities.

‘‘We’re hoping to have something by the end of this month for many reasons,” Viniard said. ‘‘We want him to get on board to do what he needs, so we can start to introduce that person to the general public, get him out to some places and let people meet and greet him.”

Before joining the Blue Crabs in August, Viniard was director of sales and marketing for the Iowa Stars of the American Hockey League. He has also served as director marketing for the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando, Fla., and has been with minor league teams in Charlotte, N.C., Winston-Salem, N.C., Canton, Ohio, Wichita, Kan., and Clinton, Iowa.

Viniard currently lives in White Plains with his wife, Rocell, and 3-year-old son Sam.

E-mail Brian Paglia at bpaglia@somdnews.com.