Chiefs Announce Additions, Changes to Front Office Staff
Morin joins the Chiefs with more than 10 years of corporate sales experience, most recently with the Peoria Rivermen where he served as the Chief Operating Officer from August 2008 to April 2010. With the Rivermen, Morin controlled the business operations, managed employees, acted as the Director of Merchandise and handled many other General Manager duties. He oversaw a franchise growth spurt of more than 30 percent in attendance over the final 20 games of the 2010 season including the largest crowd and largest week-day crowd in team history. Morin also sold and renewed corporate sponsorships throughout Central Illinois for the Rivermen. Prior to returning to Peoria, Morin was the VP of Corporate Partnerships for the Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League for the 2007-08 season. He has prior MiLB experience with four seasons of Luxury Suite Sales and Corporate Partnership Sales with the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats of the Pacific Coast League. Before heading to California, Morin worked for the Rivermen as the Director of Group Sales and Director of Ticket Sales when the team was in the East Coast Hockey League from August 2000 to August 2003. Morin graduated from Boston University with a B.S. in Broadcast Journalism in 1997 and took part in the Sports Management Masters Program at Illinois State University in 2002-03.
Miller joined the Chiefs in September as the Entertainment & Community Relations Manager after one season with the Rivermen where she worked as an Account Executive and On-Ice Emcee. Miller previously worked for the Chiefs as a Promotions Intern for the 2009 season while she was a student at Illinois State University. Miller also worked in sales and as an On-Ice Emcee with the Bloomington Prairie Thunder before joining the Rivermen. A native of Coal City, IL, Miller graduated from ISU in December 2009 with a B.S. in Marketing. With the Chiefs she will be in charge of all promotions/game entertainment along with community events including players/mascot appearances, Homer's Reading Program and the Summer Library Program.
Schulte also came to the Chiefs in early September as the Season Ticket Sales & Service Representative after the retirement of long-time employee Howard Yates. Schulte has previous baseball experience as the Box Office Manager and Ticket Sales Representative with the Independent Normal CornBelters during the 2010 season and as a Sales Intern with the Chiefs in 2009. Prior to joining the Chiefs, Schulte was an intern for the Midwest League's Burlington Bees during the 2008 season. A native of Jerseyville, IL, Schulte graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a B.A. in Economics and then earned a Masters degree in Sport Management from Illinois State University.
Kramer joins the Chiefs as an Account Executive & Director of Guest Services with a vast background that includes previous work for the Chiefs as well as a long history with Caterpillar. A lifelong Peorian, Kramer graduated from Peoria Manual before attending Sangamon State University, Illinois Central College and Bradley University. After retiring from Caterpillar with 40 years of service in early 2009, Kramer joined the Chiefs in April 2009 as the Suite Entrance Usher where he was able to interact with countless fans over the last two seasons. In his current capacity, in addition to selling tickets, Kramer will oversee all of the ushers on game days and also be in charge of all Guest Services issues.
The three employees with new titles have all been part of the Chiefs staff for multiple seasons. Eric Obalil was the Senior Director of Ticket Sales for the 2009 and 2010 seasons after also serving as Ticket Sales Director in 2008 and as an Account Executive for the 2006 and 2007 seasons. Joel Merrill joined the Chiefs on a full-time basis in September 2005 as an Account Executive after working as a Ticket Taker at both Vonachen Stadium and O'Brien Field from 1999 to 2004. Jack Schmitz began his Chiefs career as a Sales Intern in 2008 and worked as an Account Executive for the 2009 and 2010 seasons. With the hiring of Miller and Schulte, the Chiefs now have five full-time employees who interned with the organization before joining the staff on a full-time basis.