Storm Chasers expand front office; announce new hires and staff promotions

PAPILLION, Neb. – The Omaha Storm Chasers are proud to announce additions to the front office staff and share staff promotions ahead of the 2022 season.

“New people mean new ideas and new experiences, and we should have plenty of them in 2022,” Vice President/General Manager Laurie Schlender said. “All of us are looking forward to experiencing 2022 differently with the talented and experienced staff joining us in the Omaha metro area. Our front office expansion shows our dedication to providing the best possible experience at Werner Park in 2022 and beyond and we couldn’t be more excited to see everyone here on April 12th for Opening Day.”

Zach Ziler, who joined the organization in 2018 and worked as the Group Sales Manager during the 2021 season, has been promoted to Director of Group Sales. Under Ziler, the Group Sales Department exceeded its 2021 sales goals by nearly five percent and retained nearly 95 percent of groups committed in 2020 ahead of the canceled season. The West O Chamber of Commerce Connect Member of the Year, Ziler was also selected to the Omaha Suburban Rotary Board of Directors in 2021.

Marcus Sabata joined the organization in January of 2022 as the Director of Sales. He previously worked as the General Manager for the Jackson Generals, contributing to Southern League Championship seasons in 2018 and 2019. Born in Genoa, Neb., and raised in Rising City, Neb., Sabata began his career in baseball with the Garden City Wind of the Pecos League, starting as Gameday Coordinator before becoming the team’s general manager.

Bob Flannery joined the organization in January of 2022 as a Corporate Sales Executive following working at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as an Account Executive for Huskers Athletic Partners. Flannery was previously the Vice President of the Boise Hawks, where he was named Northwest League Executive of the Year in 2018. A Massachusetts native, Flannery began working in Minor League Baseball in 1995. He was also the Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing and Promotions at the University of Nebraska-Omaha from 2005-2008.

Nina Sobotka joined the organization in January as the team’s Social Media Manager. Originally from Racine, Wisc., Sobotka graduated from Michigan State University in 2021 with a degree in Advertising Management and a minor in Public Relations and Sport Business Management.

Andrew Kochera joined the organization as the Sales and Marketing Assistant in November of 2021. Originally from St. Louis, Kochera served for 13 years in the United States Navy as a Recruiter and Law Enforcement Specialist.

Emily Hintz joined the organization in November of 2021 as the Creator of Fun. Born in Lincoln and raised in Crete, Neb., Hintz spent the last four years as the Assistant Director of Marketing and Promotions at Davidson College.

Jenna Kniss joined the organization in November of 2021 as the Community Relations Coordinator. She previously interned for the Savannah Bananas and Pittsburgh Pirates. Kniss played softball at Kennesaw State University and Georgia Southern University, where she earned a degree in Sport Management in 2019. She also holds a graduate certificate in Sports Philanthropy from George Washington University.

Jeremy Ramey joined the organization in October of 2021 as the Ticket Operations and Customer Service Manager. He previously worked in a similar role with the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, serving as both a Senior Sales Executive and later, the team’s Sales and Box Office Manager.

Alex Seder joined the organization in August of 2021 as the Graphic Design Coordinator. A Michigan native, Seder previously spent three-and-and-half years as the Director of Creative Services for the Great Lakes Loons.

Tyler Shaw joined the organization in August of 2021 as the Ballpark Operations Manager. An Omaha native, Shaw previously worked in the operations department for the Kansas City Royals and Charles Schwab Field (then TD Ameritrade Park).

Lexi Gross joined the organization in July of 2021 as the Video and Multimedia Coordinator after earning a degree in Digital Media Production from Fort Hays State University. A McCook, Neb., native, Gross spent time as a broadcast producer, director, and content creator for the Tiger Media Network prior to joining the Storm Chasers.

Skyler Clough, Ryan Dukett, Andrew Rosenau, and Jordan Yerem, who each worked as Seasonal Associates during the 2021 season, remain with the organization in new roles. Clough is now the Box Office Coordinator, Dukett is now the Facility Maintenance Coordinator, Rosenau is now the Game/Event Operations Assistant, and Yerem is the Group Client Services Coordinator.

Ticket packages for the 2022 season, including Chasers Blue Books and undated voucher packs, are available for purchase through the Werner Park Ticket Office. The first Storm Chasers’ home game of the 2022 season is scheduled for Tuesday, April 12 at 6:35 p.m.

For more information, visit omahastormchasers.com or call the Werner Park Ticket Office at (402) 738-5100 and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.