Akron RubberDucks Front Office

The 2019 season will be Chris Walsh's ninth with the RubberDucks organization. Following the 2018 season, he and Canal Park were honored as the 2018 Turface Ohio Field of the Year by the Ohio Sports Turf Managers Association. In 2016, he was named the 2016 Eastern League Diamond Pro Sports Field Manager of the Year after helping the RubberDucks host Akron's first Eastern League All-Star Game that season.

Walsh has spent time as the Head Groundskeeper for the Aberdeen IronBirds, Mahoning Valley Scrappers and Camden Riversharks. He is a native of Boardman, Ohio and a graduate of Kent State University. He currently resides in Cuyahoga Falls with his wife Chrystie, son Declan, and dog Duke, who is the RubberDucks' director of geese management.

Gabe Wasylko, a native of Brunswick, OH, joined the RubberDucks front office as Creative Services Coordinator in October 2018, after serving as a Creative Services intern and Video Board Operator since the club's rebranding in 2014. He oversees the in-game video entertainment, music, and social media, with the goal of providing the best experience for every fan who enters the ballpark. Gabe is a graduate of The College of Wooster, where he majored in Mathematics and Political Science. In his free time, Gabe loves to write for his coffee blog (Gabe's Coffee Journey), cheer on Cleveland sports teams, and practice photography.

Marco calls play-by-play on the RubberDucks radio broadcasts and serves as an account executive. He joined the RubberDucks in October 2018 after three seasons with Fast Forward Sports Group's club in Jacksonville, Florida, where he was part of the Double-A Southern League club's re-branding of the Suns as the Jumbo Shrimp.

A native of St. Cloud, Minnesota, Marco graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree in chemistry from the University of Minnesota and completed a science-writing internship at the Princeton (New Jersey) Plasma Physics Laboratory. He was a radio production assistant with the Minnesota Twins in 2011, the head of media relations and lead broadcaster with the Quad Cities River Bandits (Class-A Midwest League) from 2012 to 2015, and the media and public relations manager and a radio broadcaster with Jacksonville from 2016 to 2018. He has broadcasted high school and college sports play-by-play, and he is a sports anchor for 92.3 The Fan Cleveland.

Marco is an active member of the Catholic Church and Young Catholic Professionals and a fourth-degree member of the Knights of Columbus. He is also a regular blood and platelet donor.

Jim calls play-by-play for RubberDucks broadcasts, as he has for the Canton-Akron Indians, Akron Aeros and RubberDucks since 1990, the second year of the franchise in Northeast Ohio. He was inducted into the Greater Akron Baseball of Hall of Fame in 2019, and the 2020 season marks his 28th with the club.

A lifelong Indians fan and author of the book "Rally 'Round Cleveland: The Story of the 1974 Franchise-Saving Cleveland Indians," Jim has broadcasted an Indians Spring Training game each of the last two years. He has called games of dozens of players on their way to the Cleveland Indians, spanning from Bartolo Colon, Jim Thome, Charles Nagy, and Grady Sizemore, to Carlos Santana, Francisco Lindor and Shane Bieber.

Born in Akron, Jim earned a bachelor of arts in education from the University of Akron. He was the sports information director at Walsh College and University for 33 years from 1982 to 2015. Jim resides in Canton, but his favorite place to eat in Akron is Luigi's.

Brian Manning, a native of Yonkers, New York, is entering his 6th season as Director of Food & Beverage with Akron RubberDucks after joining the staff in October 2013. He brings over 13 years of experience in stadiums & arenas throughout the country.

Upon graduation from Xavier University in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in Sport Management and minor in business, Brian started his professional career as a Concessions Manager at Shea Stadium with the New York Mets. He then returned to Xavier University's Cintas Center in 2007 as the Director of Concessions, Suites & Club for 5 seasons. Most recently before Akron, Brian worked as the General Manager of Premium Concessions on the opening team at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York from 2012-2013.

During his time in Akron, Brian has successfully created unique fan experiences through innovative menus & the continued evolution of Canal Park's "Extreme Foods Menu". Two of those menu items were featured on Travel Channel's "Food Paradise" in 2017 as Canal Park was featured among 5 other ballparks throughout the country. Brian can be found on the concourse during games and also on Sundays leading the "Kids Stampede" onto the field with his bright orange giant cowboy hat.

In his spare time, Brian enjoys spending time with his family, golfing and watching sports. He also serves on the Advisory Board for the University of Akron's School of Nutrition and Dietetics. He is resides in the Mayfield Heights with his wife, Becky, and daughters Hannah and Emily.

Sam Dankoff, a native of Akron, Ohio, enters his 7th season as Director, Premium Experience for the Akron RubberDucks. Sam oversees Suite sales and service within the National Interstate Insurance Suite Level at Canal Park as well as The Duck Club By Firestone - Canal Park's private events venue. A graduate of the University of Akron, Sam has a deeply-rooted affinity for the Akron community and champions its collaborative style. Sam is a current member of Leadership Akron's Signature Program Class 35 and was also a Crain's Cleveland Twenty In Their 20's selection in 2018.

Kyle Hixenbaugh is a native of Logan, Ohio and graduated from Ohio University in December 2016, with a Bachelor's Degree in Sports Management. He worked as a manager for the Ohio University Baseball team and was the Head Coach for the 7th Grade Logan Chieftains Baseball club. Kyle's heading into his third season with the RubberDucks after spending the past 2 seasons as a Ticket Sales Account Executive. Kyle now runs our Promotions Department and Social Media Platforms. Many may recognize Kyle as the official on-field host last season.