Bandits name Andrew Chesser General Manager
The Quad Cities River Bandits are promoting a key front office member to lead the Midwest League club, as the team announced that two-year Assistant General Manager Andrew Chesser is the team's new General Manager at a press conference with River Bandits co-owner Dave Heller Thursday afternoon at Modern Woodmen Park.
The River Bandits have continuity with Chesser, who has 10 years of experience in Minor League Baseball and has been the River Bandits' assistant general manager the past two seasons. Among the highlights the past two seasons were the club's highest single-season attendance since 1995, the franchise's sixth Midwest League Championship, a Golden Bobblehead Award for the Best Charity Promotion or Event in Minor League Baseball, and the selection of the team's home, Modern Woodmen Park as the "Best Minor League Ballpark" in a nationwide vote by readers of 10Best.com and USA TODAY.
"Andrew Chesser is the ideal person to continue the unprecedented growth of the River Bandits," Heller said. "He is incredibly smart, diligent, thorough and hard-working, and, most importantly, he is completely committed to providing outstanding customer service to the best fans in the country. With a new Ferris wheel, a carousel, zip line, and some fun new rides coming, the River Bandits have a chance to make this our best season ever. Under Andrew's leadership, I am confident we will get there."
Chesser joined the River Bandits in the winter of 2012 after eight seasons of diverse baseball experience with the Lynchburg (Va.) Hillcats, the advanced Class-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves in the Carolina League. Chesser began as a stadium operations intern with the Hillcats in 2004 and became the full-time stadium operations director the next season. He later became the director of information technology and creative services, and he was the director of group sales and creative services his last five seasons in Lynchburg.
Chesser is a native of New Milford, Conn., and graduate of Lynchburg (Va.) College with a major in history and minors in French and sports management. He and his wife, Susan, live in Davenport.
"I am extremely excited about taking on the role of General Manager of the River Bandits," Chesser said. "This organization has already established that it has the best team in the league, the best ballpark in America, and what I believe is the best community in the country."
The River Bandits, the Class-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, will open the 2014 season at Modern Woodmen Park Thursday, April 3. A full schedule of home and road games for 2014 is available at www.riverbandits.com, and ticket plans for the 2014 season are now on sale.
UP NEXT: Lock in your season ticket plan - with new lower prices - for the 2014 season! A deposit of $25 per seat by December 31 enters you in a drawing for a free suite rental at an April 2014 home game. Call the River Bandits box office at 563-324-3000 or visit www.riverbandits.com to download the season ticket order form. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $40. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.
ABOUT THE BANDITS: The River Bandits ownership is making one of the biggest improvements to Modern Woodmen Park since the ballpark was first built back in 1931! A new Ferris wheel, standing 112 feet over the playing field, is planned for next spring, along with a carousel and other new games and attractions. This season, the team unveiled a new 300-foot long dual zip line, a rock climbing wall, and a number of new bounce houses. The team's major league affiliate, the Houston Astros, just saw all six of its affiliates reach the playoffs - the first time in a decade any MLB team can claim such success. The River Bandits were one of three affiliates to reach the championship round and one of two to win their league championship.