Noel Blaha was named the new President and General Manager of the Akron RubberDucks on April 7, 2026.
The 2026 season is Blaha’s 21st in MiLB. Since 2015, he has been with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, the sister club of the RubberDucks, serving in various roles including Assistant General Manager, Vice President of Marketing & Media, and Senior Vice President.
During his time in Jacksonville, Blaha helped steer the organization through its award-winning 2017 rebrand from the Suns to the Jumbo Shrimp and has led successful marketing initiatives, including the 2025 debut of the Honey Drippers alternate identity. He was also a key member of the team that delivered the Project NEXT enhancements to VyStar Ballpark (the first major renovations in the 22-year history of the ballpark in Jacksonville).
Prior to joining the Jumbo Shrimp, Blaha spent 10 seasons with the Charleston (SC) RiverDogs, where he served as Director of Marketing, Promotions Director, Box Office Manager and Media Relations Assistant. While with the RiverDogs, he helped oversee the 2012 South Atlantic League Home Run Derby from the flight deck of the USS Yorktown, which earned two MiLB Golden Bobblehead awards. He also was a key contributor to the team’s 2013 promotional calendar, which earned the Larry MacPhail award.
Blaha has also worked in minor league soccer and hockey throughout his career. He is a native of Aberdeen, Scotland and earned a bachelor’s degree from Cornell College in Iowa, where he was a member of the soccer team. Blaha earned a master’s degree from Bowling Green State University.