RS3 Announces Promotions

AUSTIN, Texas - Ryan Sanders Sports Services (RS3), a branch of Ryan Sanders Baseball, who also owns the Round Rock Express, announced a handful of promotions between the company's food and beverage operations and its sports turf services Monday afternoon.  

Jay Kudla was named Vice President, Operations, Food and Beverage; Kerri Johnson was promoted to Director, Administration and Accounting; Opal Scott joined the team at Dell Diamond as Director, Special Events and Services; Jeremy Zimmerman was tabbed as General Manager, Food and Beverage at Dell Diamond and Joe Nieto was named Assistant General Manager, Food and Beverage.

On the sports turf services side, Garrett Reddehase was named Senior Director, Operations and Maintenance, Turf Services and Sam Titchener was promoted to Associate Director, Turf Services.

"It's an honor and a privilege to see the immense talent continue to grow and thrive within the RS3 family," RS3 President George King said. "I'm excited to see what the future holds with this roster guiding our operations as we expand into new territories."

Kudla, a 24-year veteran in the sports and entertainment food service industry, previously served as the food and beverage director for RS3, helping to launch the rapidly-growing company's foodservice division. His multi-unit management background includes roles with MLB, NBA, NFL, NCAA, NASCAR, MiLB, Formula One, and NHL properties with service in large-scale events including Super Bowl XXXVI, Super Bowl XLII, and the US Grand Prix.

As the divisional lead for the fast-growing sports turf maintenance and construction division, Reddehase has led the groundscrew at Dell Diamond since 2009. His crew was recently awarded the Texas Turfgrass Association Baseball Field of the Year award in 2015 for his work on the playing surface in Round Rock. Past awards include the Pacific Coast League Turf Manager of the Year in 2012, a PCL Presidential Commendation for groundskeeping in 2011 and 2013, 2009's Texas League Turf Manager of the Year and Professional Baseball Field of the Year from the Sports Turf Manager's Association, the highest honor awarded in the professional sports turf industry. 

Johnson, a 25-year foodservice veteran, was named corporate controller for RS3 in 2014 after serving in a similar capacity with another multi-facility food and beverage company with local ties. Prior to arriving at RS3, Ms. Johnson's roles have included facility-level and regional management roles around the Austin area.

Prior to being named to her current position, Opal Scott served as the director of sales at Circuit of the Americas (CoTA) and the Austin360 Amphitheater, where RS3 is the exclusive foodservice provider. Her 20-year career includes positions with the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat along with stints in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons and Washington Redskins.

Zimmerman has been a member of the RS3 family since 2013 and most recently served as director of food and beverage at CoTA and the Austin360 Amphitheater. His extensive experience includes positions at Wake Forest University and at Space Coast Stadium in Brevard County, Florida, home then to the Brevard County Manatees and Washington Nationals spring training.

Nieto has been involved with the food and beverage operations at Dell Diamond for the past 6 years. He was named manager of concessions when RS3 took over the food and beverage operations in 2013.

Titchener joined the Express prior to the 2014 season after working with MLB's Oakland Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants. 

For more information on RS3, visit RS3Sports.com or follow RS3 on Twitter @RS3Catering.

About Ryan Sanders Sports Services

Ryan Sanders Sports Services (RS3) is a sports service-related firm wholly owned by Ryan Sanders Baseball. RS3 folds-in programming and operational models for banquet and conferencing, retail and merchandising, award-wining groundskeeping and turf management, and a complete food and beverage service package to address every event-day need in any size venue. RS3 injects a resounding new perspective to the traditional industry of sports venue services - an operator's sensitivity to guest service and a difference-making attitude about quality and unexpected guest satisfaction. RS3 is owned by parent company Ryan Sanders Baseball, which is led by Nolan, Reid and Reese Ryan and Don, Bret and Brad Sanders.