Loons Announce Front Office Additions, Promotions, and Updates

MIDLAND, Mich. – The Great Lakes Loons are pleased to announce the addition of four full-time members to the front office staff, the promotion of three current staff members to full-time status, and role updates for two current staff members. The seven total full-time additions to the front office come on the heels of a successful 2021 season that saw 124,806 fans come through the gates of Dow Diamond. The increase in staff size represents positive momentum towards the 2022 season and the team’s recovery from the canceled 2020 season.

Brandon Loker has been named Director of Corporate Partnerships for the Loons. In his role, he oversees all sales and activation of corporate partnerships for the team. A native of Mount Vernon, Illinois, Loker has over ten years of sports sales experience, including working for the Miami Heat of the NBA, University of Miami Hurricanes, and Florida Panthers of the NHL. “Brandon is a phenomenal salesperson whose track record and resume speak for themselves”, stated Tyler Kring, Assistant General Manager of Business Development. “His experience at the major league level, professionalism, attention to detail, and desire to put the client first will deliver great results for our corporate partners for many seasons to come.”

Lauren Ouellette joins the team as the Retail and Business Manager for the Loons after holding various seasonal jobs with the team since 2014. In her role, she manages the Loon Loft retail shop, including ordering merchandise, keeping inventory, executing orders, and staging the store. An Essexville native, Ouellette holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in communication from Central Michigan University. “Lauren has been an integral part of our gameday staff for years and we’re excited to have her join us year-round”, stated Tiffany Wardynski, Vice President of Baseball Operations and Gameday Experience. “Her passion for the Loons and creating memorable, positive experiences for our fans makes her the perfect fit for running our retail operation.”

Stephanie Tithof has been named Food and Beverage Coordinator for the Loons. In her role, she provides wedding and event planning services for customers of Dow Diamond’s private event sales, coordinates catering orders for suite and venue clients during Loons games, and handles accounts payable and human resource functions for the food and beverage department. A native of Carson City, Nevada, Tithof worked for three years at Walt Disney World and Sea World before joining the Loons and holds a bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University. “Stephanie brings a wealth of knowledge and a detail-oriented view to our private events business,” stated Eric Ramseyer, Chief Operating Officer. “We know that every bride-to-be and corporate events planner will enjoy working with Stephanie immensely on creating their perfect day at the ballpark.”

The last addition, Travis Webb joins the front office as a Ticket Account Executive. A native of Sanford and a Central Michigan University graduate, Webb will focus on the sale of ticket memberships and group outings, while servicing existing ticket membership holders. “We’re excited to have Travis on board as he brings a drive and hunger to our sales team, wanting to sell out every game at Dow Diamond,” stated Sam PeLong, Director of Ticket Operations. “Our season ticket holders will enjoy working with Travis on all their needs while they are at the ballpark as he strives to make sure every fan has a pleasant and memorable time at the ballpark.

Previously in seasonal roles, Elizabeth Getzinger (Creative Services and Content Coordinator), Jimmy Metiva (Video Production Manager), and Jeff Ross (Head Groundskeeper) have all been promoted to year-round, full-time members of the front office.

Additionally, the Loons are excited to announce the promotion of Ivy Schaaf as the Assistant Director of Ticket Sales for the team. In her role, Schaaf will now focus on selling comprehensive corporate hospitality packages for the Loons, ESPN 100.9 FM, and Dow Diamond private event rentals. Additionally, she will assist in the budgeting for the ticket department and the training of seasonal ticket staff. “We’re very excited to promote Ivy to the Assistant Director of Ticket Sales”, stated PeLong. “Since joining the team in 2019, she has provided exceptional sales results and customer service to our fans. We’re excited to have her help mold that culture into our seasonal staff and create memorable events for our corporate clients here at the ballpark.”

Lastly, Cameron Bloch has been named Director of Entertainment and Community Outreach. Bloch joined the Loons in 2019 as the Promotions Manager, overseeing the Fun Flock and In-game entertainment for the team. In his new role, Cameron will continue these duties as well as focus on the Loons philanthropic efforts in the Great Lakes Bay Region, including donations, community sponsorships, and staff volunteer events. “Cameron has a heart of gold and has a deep passion for giving back to the community and leaving it a better place than he found it,” stated Kring. “It’s vitally important that the Loons support the community in the same light that the community supports the Loons. There’s no one better on our staff than Cameron to spearhead these efforts.”

The Loons are not done staffing up for the 2022 season. Currently, the team is looking for two enthusiastic, sales-driven individuals to fill Account Executive roles in the ticket office. Interested individuals may review the job posting on TeamWork Online or LinkedIn. Gameday staff positions will be posted in early spring, before Opening Day on April 8th.

“We’re extremely excited to make these hires and promotions, permanently growing our front office family for the 2022 season and beyond,” stated Chris Mundhenk, President and General Manager. This is a momentous step in the team’s recovery from the 2020 canceled season and one that would not be possible without the support of our fans and the Great Lakes Bay Region we received last summer. One of the founding goals of the Loons was to provide jobs to the people of the region, to spur economic prosperity. Today, we are fulfilling that goal in a big way and we look forward to welcoming many more individuals to the Loons family over the coming weeks and months.”

The Great Lakes Loons have been the Single-A partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers since the team’s inception in 2007. Dow Diamond serves as the team’s home and also houses the Michigan Baseball Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity, and ESPN 100.9-FM. For tickets or information about the Loons, call 989-837-BALL or visit Loons.com.