Team President Honored with Minker Award

COLUMBIA, SC – The Kansas City Royals announced that Columbia Fireflies Team President Brad Shank has been awarded the Matt Minker Dedication and Leadership Award. Each year, the Royals honor a Minor League employee with the Matt Minker Award who exemplifies qualities of leadership and dedication to the Kansas City Royals organization.

Shank has been with the Fireflies since July 2015, when he helped bring the team to Columbia as the Executive Vice President. In December of 2021, he was promoted to Team President and helped oversee the Fireflies as they rebounded from the pandemic. In 2022, he helped guide the team to a 38 percent increase in attendance over the previous season and a franchise record in group ticket sales.

Our partnership with Columbia and our experience with Brad has been nothing but a wonderful experience. The facility and community of Columbia is a great place for a players, and Brad is an excellent steward to the community and the game," Mitch Maier, the Kansas City Royals Director of Player Development/Field Coordinator said. "That's what the Matt Minker Award is all about. Brad is an excellent ambassador of the game and the community and we couldn't be more excited for our future in Columbia."

"It’s an honor to receive the Matt Minker award on behalf of our entire staff that dedicates themselves to providing a big-league experience here in Columbia,” said Shank. “Our goal every year is to make sure that the time these players and coaches spend in Columbia, South Carolina is the best stop on their road to the Major Leagues and Kansas City. We couldn’t ask for a better partner than the Kansas City Royals and look forward to many more years of success in our partnership.”

The Richmond, Indiana native started his baseball career as an intern for the Richmond Roosters before spending 13 seasons with the Fireflies sister team, the Fort Wayne TinCaps. There he climbed from a group sales representative to Director of Group Sales and eventually, to the Vice President of Ticket Sales.

You can see Brad and the rest of the Fireflies at Segra Park for Opening Night, Thursday, April 6. Tickets start at $5 and are available at FirefliesTickets.com. Watch as the Fireflies take on the Augusta GreenJackets and stick around for a spectacular fireworks show following the game.