Parney named Eastern League Executive of the Year
RICHMOND, Va. - Richmond Flying Squirrels Vice President & COO Todd "Parney" Parnell has been named the 2019 Eastern League Executive of the Year, the league announced on Wednesday morning. It is the third time Parney has been selected for the award, which will be presented at the Baseball Winter
RICHMOND, Va. - Richmond Flying Squirrels Vice President & COO Todd "Parney" Parnell has been named the 2019 Eastern League Executive of the Year, the league announced on Wednesday morning. It is the third time Parney has been selected for the award, which will be presented at the Baseball Winter Meetings in San Diego in December.
Parney, who has been the Flying Squirrels' Vice President & COO since the franchise's inception in 2009, was also selected for the award in 2013 with Richmond and in 2004 as the General Manager of the Altoona Curve.
"I am deeply honored for this award and what it means for our Flying Squirrels organization," Parney said. "Without everyone involved in our organization, none of the countless special things that have happened with our organization in Richmond would have happened. I am grateful to work every day with people who I love and for an ownership group that cares for us in a special way."
The Flying Squirrels led the Eastern League with an average of 6,255 fans per game during the 2019 season, the highest for any team in the circuit since the Flying Squirrels' own league-leading average in 2014. The team drew a total of 400,321 fans for the year, the highest for the franchise since 2015.
Those attendance totals do not include the 9,560 fans who attended the 2019 Eastern League All-Star Game on July 10 in Richmond, the highest attendance on record for the event, and the 7,112 fans who attended the Eastern League Celebrity Home Run Derby on July 9. The events were part of a four-day celebration during the Eastern League All-Star Week presented by Genworth.
"Parney and the entire Richmond front office raised the bar with their efforts in putting together the Eastern League All-Star Week," Eastern League President Joe McEacharn said. "The four days of events showcased the mutual love affair between the Flying Squirrels organization and their fans while also highlighting everything the greater Richmond community has to offer. During their 10 years of existence, the Flying Squirrels have created a tremendous legacy that is sure to continue for many years to come."
Throughout 2019, the Flying Squirrels celebrated their landmark 10th season in Richmond. Under Parney's direction over the last decade, the Flying Squirrels franchise has become a staple of the Richmond community through its unique approach to family entertainment, tremendous fan support and community-oriented initiatives, carrying the impact of the organization beyond the team's 70 home games 365 days per year. This includes Flying Squirrels Charities and its "Renovating Richmond's Recreation" project, the All-Star Legacy Fund and more.
Prior to joining the Flying Squirrels, Parney served as the President of the Greenberg Sports Group, where he oversaw the operations of the State College Spikes and the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. He was the General Manager of the Eastern League's Altoona Curve for seven years (2002-08). The North Carolina native was the Vice President and General Manager of the Kannapolis Intimidators from 1997-2001, where he was named the South Atlantic League's General Manager of the Year in 1999. With the Flying Squirrels, he was also named Minor League Executive of the Year by Baseball America in 2011.
The 2019 season marked Parney's 30th year in the baseball industry.
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