Akron RubberDucks Front Office

Ken Babby became Owner and Chief Executive Officer of the Akron RubberDucks, Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, in October 2012 when he purchased the then-named Akron Aeros.

Babby is the founder of Fast Forward Sports Group LLC, through which he additionally purchased the then-named Jacksonville Suns, Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins, in September 2015, becoming the youngest multi-franchise owner in professional sports. Following the 2016 season, the Suns started a new identity as the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.

Akron RubberDucks baseball has taken flight under Babby. In seven seasons, the franchise's second-ever owner has invested more than $8.5 million into Akron's Canal Park, including one of the largest HD videoboards in the minor leagues, with attendance increasing by 28 percent.

Following a successful identity change after the 2013 season, the team went on to win Minor League Baseball's prestigious Larry MacPhail Award as the top promotional team in 2015. The 2016 season was packed with accolades for the RubberDucks, including an Eastern League championship, with the franchise hosting the Eastern League All-Star Game and Home Run Derby for the first time, and the club's nomination for the John H. Johnson President's Award, which honors Minor League Baseball's "most complete franchise."

Babby was named one of Sports Business Journal's 2016 "Forty Under 40," recognizing excellence and innovation in sports business careers, and he was an Entrepreneur of the Year® 2017 Award winner. In 2015, Crain's Cleveland Business also honored him as one of its local 2015 "Forty Under 40" awards.

Babby, 39, is a Potomac, Maryland, native who spent 13 years with The Washington Post, rising to positions such as Vice President, Advertising, and Chief Revenue Officer of Washington Post Media and General Manager of Washington Post Digital.

He is an Akron resident and a visible presence at RubberDucks and Jumbo Shrimp games, as well in the local communities where he serves on several boards. Ken is married to wife, Liz, and has an 11-year-old son, Josh.

2020 will be Jim Pfander's 21st year in baseball and eighth as General Manager of the Akron RubberDucks. Pfander was named president of Fast Forward Sports Group LLC in October 2015 and has served as the general manager of the Akron RubberDucks since October 18, 2012.

Pfander, an Akron native, is only the second general manager in Aeros/RubberDucks history, and was the first executive hired by team owner and Fast Forward Sports Group founder Ken Babby. For Pfander, it was a return to the organization where he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Aeros in 2011.

Under Pfander's leadership, the Akron franchise has risen into one of Minor League Baseball's premier franchises.

The team underwent a successful company-wide, identity change from the Akron Aeros to the Akron RubberDucks after the 2013 season, and it has witnessed record-breaking attendance growth and set single-game records. Pfander has also overseen more than $8.5M in improvements to Canal Park, including the installation of one of the largest HD video boards in Minor League Baseball, the addition of The Game Grill + Bar, the Fowl Territory picnic area, the Tiki Terrace and Tiki Bar group areas, as well as the exclusive special-event Duck Club at Canal Park. Prior to the 2016 season, Pfander oversaw a complete renovation of the stadium's playing field and drainage systems.

The 2016 season also saw the RubberDucks and Canal Park host Akron's first Eastern League All-Star Game and Home Run Derby, which drew more than 14,000 fans and national attention to the city. The season concluded with the RubberDucks winning the franchise's fifth EL championship, and its first since 2012.

In addition to several new special events at Canal Park, Pfander helped the RubberDucks build a reputation as a leader in affordable family fun. With unique ballpark promotions, to go along with the creative concessions, including the Extreme Foods Menu, helped earn the franchise the prestigious 2015 Larry MacPhail Award, which goes to the Minor League Baseball team with the most outstanding and creative marketing and promotional efforts. Following the 2016 season, the team was chosen as the Eastern League's nominee for Minor League Baseball's top award, the John H. Johnson President's Award, which is used to honor a franchise with demonstrated stability while making significant contributions in its community, its league, and with the baseball industry.

Other stops besides Akron during Pfander's 20-year career include various positions with teams in Charleston, South Carolina; Brockton, Massachusetts; Port Charlotte, Florida; and Spokane, Washington.

Pfander is a graduate of Archbishop Hoban High School and Ohio University. He began his baseball career as an intern in the Cleveland Indians broadcasting department in 2000, prior to several assignments with minor league teams across the country. He resides in Akron with his wife, Page, and daughters, Olivia and Ella.

Nineteen-year Minor League Baseball executive Jim Pfander was named president of Fast Forward Sports Group LLC in October 2015 and has served as the general manager of the Akron RubberDucks since October 18, 2012.

Pfander, an Akron native, is only the second general manager in Aeros/RubberDucks history, and was the first executive hired by team owner and Fast Forward Sports Group founder Ken Babby. For Pfander, it was a return to the organization where he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Aeros in 2011.

Under Pfander's leadership, the Akron franchise has risen into one of Minor League Baseball's premier franchises.

The team underwent a successful company-wide, identity change from the Akron Aeros to the Akron RubberDucks after the 2013 season, and it has witnessed record-breaking attendance growth and set single-game records. Pfander has also overseen more than $7 million in improvements to Canal Park, including the installation of one of the largest HD video boards in Minor League Baseball, the addition of The Game Grill + Bar, the Fowl Territory picnic area, the Tiki Terrace and Tiki Bar group areas, as well as the exclusive special-event Duck Club at Canal Park. Prior to the 2016 season, Pfander oversaw a complete renovation of the stadium's playing field and drainage systems.

The 2016 season also saw the RubberDucks and Canal Park host Akron's first Eastern League All-Star Game and Home Run Derby, which drew more than 14,000 fans and national attention to the city. The season concluded with the RubberDucks winning the franchise's fifth EL championship, and its first since 2012.

In addition to several new special events at Canal Park, Pfander helped the RubberDucks build a reputation as a leader in affordable family fun. With unique ballpark promotions, to go along with the creative concessions, including the Extreme Foods Menu, helped earn the franchise the prestigious 2015 Larry MacPhail Award, which goes to the Minor League Baseball team with the most outstanding and creative marketing and promotional efforts. Following the 2016 season, the team was chosen as the Eastern League's nominee for Minor League Baseball's top award, the John H. Johnson President's Award, which is used to honor a franchise with demonstrated stability while making significant contributions in its community, its league, and with the baseball industry.

Other stops besides Akron during Pfander's 19-year career include various positions with teams in Charleston, South Carolina; Brockton, Massachusetts; Port Charlotte, Florida; and Spokane, Washington.

Pfander is a graduate of Archbishop Hoban High School and Ohio University. He began his baseball career as an intern in the Cleveland Indians broadcasting department in 2000, prior to several assignments with minor league teams across the country. He resides in Akron with his wife, Page, and daughters, Olivia and Ella.

Scott Riley joined the Akron Baseball front office in July 2013 as the Assistant General Manager. Following the 2018 season, he was earned the additional title Vice President, Operations.

In his role as AGM, Riley directly oversees several departments including ballpark operations, merchandise, food & beverage, grounds, special events and graphic design. Scott is also responsible for coordinating visiting team travel, IT management, digital media, game day staffing and assisting the General Manager on various projects, as needed.

The 2019 season will be Riley's 18^th working baseball, which started as an intern with the Charleston RiverDogs (NYY Class A) in 2002-03. He spent 2004 on the gameday staff and in 2005 he became the Director of Merchandise for three seasons. Riley was promoted within the ownership group and relocated to St. Paul, Minn., to work for the St. Paul Saints (American Association, Independent), where he took on a new role and was overseeing multiple departments. After leaving the Saints, Riley served as a member of the management team at Target Field with the Minnesota Twins before moving to Akron.

With the Akron RubberDucks, Scott has played key roles in the rebrand from the Akron Aeros, the stadium renovations to Canal Park prior to the 2014 season, and the 2016 Eastern League All-Star Game.

The Hilton Head, S.C., native is a graduate of the College of Charleston. He is in his second year serving as a member of the Downtown Akron Partnership (DAP) Board of Directors. Riley resides in Stow with his wife Katie and daughter Melissa.

Dave Burke joins the staff as the Vice President, Sales. Burke has more than 28 years of experience in sales and baseball management and he will oversee sales for both the club's ticketing and corporate partnership areas. He comes to the RubberDucks after spending eight seasons with the Double-A Mississippi Braves, most recently serving as the team's assistant general manager after seven seasons as the director of sales.

Burke started his baseball career with the Class A Burlington Indians before moving on to general manager roles with the Fort Myers Miracle (2000-03), Hudson Valley Renegades (2003-07), and Grand Prairie (TX) AirHogs (2007-10). He is a two-time executive of the year and has helped teams achieve numerous community and business leadership awards, including in 2006 when Hudson Valley was the New York-Penn League's nomination for Minor League Baseball's prestigious John Johnson Award for organizational excellence.

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, enters his 1st season as Creative Services Coordinator for the RubberDucks. Gabe has served as a Creative Services intern and Video Board Operator since the club's rebranding in 2014 and overseas the in-game video entertainment, music, and social media with the goal of providing the best experience for every fan who enters the ballpark. Currently, Gabe is finishing his senior year at the College of Wooster, where he will graduate in May with a degree 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 6^th 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 evolvement 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 7^th 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.