Diversity Business Summit HOUSTON | JUNE 18-19, 2013

Welcome

The 2013 MLB Diversity Business Summit is the premier sports employment and supplier diversity trade fair. This one-day event allows job seekers and entrepreneurs the unique opportunity of meeting with MLB's Clubs at both the Major League and Minor League level as well as sponsorship partners.

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Success Stories »

Success Stories

MLB Commissioner Bud Selig's Awesome Advice to Student Luck is the residue of desire; hard work is what gets you ahead, Major League Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig told a packed audience of students, job seekers and minority business owners during the MLB Diversity Business Summit held yesterday in Chicago. Commissioner Selig also spoke of baseball's hundreds of millions of dollars spent with minority and women suppliers... Read more Your Career "Michael Sansarran, has been hired for an internship in Baseball Operations. I met Michael at the Diversity Summit in July. He currently attends Fordham University and will start January 2012." - John N. Quinones Vice President, Recruitment Major League Baseball Extended offers to four people and hired two. - Larry Stokes Vice President, Human Resources Houston Astros   Your Business Success Promotions, a minority-owned company based in Missouri, received a $27, 000 order from the SF Giants as a result of meeting them at the Summit. Commotion Promotion, a woman-owned company based in Phoenix, AZ has received orders totaling approximately $15,000 from three separate clubs: The Orioles, the White Sox and the Padres. All results of winning bids they participated in as a result of introductions at the Summit.

Connect   Chicago White Sox - Hired an intern from Summit. Philadelphia Phillies - Rolland Rosario has been hired for an internship. Boston Red Sox – Hired a Ticket Services Associate.   2012 Photos View Photos »

Supplier

MLB: Business Diversity Summit Entrepreneurs and students traveled far and wide to attend the historic Diversity Business Summit that took place yesterday in Chicago. Here, you'll meet a New York business owner and two HBCU students who made the journey to this diversified field of dreams. Your Business "I met six suppliers here at the Summit with which I would seriously consider doing business and I met them in an eight hour time span. That’s a pretty good ratio of success in my opinion." - Jeff Homant Purchasing Manager KC Royals "I want to thank you for a great conference,was outstanding! As a result of the conference, I have secured a meeting with the Yankees the 3rd week of August. The Mets and I had a good meeting, while the Phillies feel there are synergies " - Rick Reyes President ITS Express (now a preferred vendor of MLB as of November 2012)   Business Partnerships National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) – www.nmsdc.org Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) – www.wbenc.org US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce (USPAACC) – www.uspaacc.com US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) – www.ushcc.com

Connect MLB Expects 600 Attendees For Inaugural Diversity Business Summit MLB today will hold its inaugural Diversity Business Summit in Chicago...Read more 2012 Photos View Photos »

Careers

College Students Excited About the MLB Diversity Business Summit Students from Howard University and Spelman College share their experiences in seeking internships and job search opportunities while attending the Summit. Your Career "Through the internship program here at MLB, I was able to better understand the business behind the game. I had the unique opportunity to communicate with Club representatives as well as some of our diverse business partners. I couldn’t be happier to have transitioned into becoming a permanent member of the Diversity and Strategic Alliances team!" - Megan Miraval Coordinator, Diversity and Strategic Alliances Major League Baseball "Michael Sansarran, has been hired for an internship in Baseball Operations. I met Michael at the Diversity Summit in July. He currently attends Fordham University and will start January 2012." - John N. Quinones Vice President, Recruitment Major League Baseball    Career Advice National Society of Hispanic MBAs National Association of African Americans in Human Resources National Association of Asian American Professionals Houston Urban League Asian MBA Association Jackie Robinson Foundation Hispanic Alliance for Career Advancement National Association of Black Accountants Women in Information Technology International National Business and Disability Council National Association of Black Journalist National Association of Market Developers HBCU Connect, LLC.

MLB Expects 600 Attendees For Inaugural Diversity Business Summit. MLB today will hold its inaugural Diversity Business Summit in Chicago... Read more Connect 2012 Photos View Photos »

 

Speakers

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Allan H. (Bud) Selig Jonathan D. Mariner

Mr. Mark Louis Attanasio, J.D. Mr. William C. Bartholomay

Jim Crane Pat O'Conner

Derrick Hall

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Allan H. (Bud) Selig,
Commissioner of Major League Baseball

Allan H. (Bud) Selig was named the ninth Commissioner of Baseball on July 9, 1998, by a unanimous vote of the 30 Major League Baseball club owners. Prior to his election as Baseball's Commissioner, Selig served as Chairman of the Executive Council and was the central figure in Major League Baseball's organizational structure dating back to September 1992. On January 12, 2012, Major League owners voted to extend his contract through December 31, 2014.

Selig has led the way toward implementation of many of the game's structural changes, including the expanded Wild Card playoff format, Interleague Play, realignment, restoration of the rulebook strike zone, consolidation of the leagues' administrative functions and instant replay.

In August 2002, Selig engineered an historic labor agreement with the Major League Baseball Players Association that avoided a work stoppage for the first time in 30 years and included meaningful revenue sharing among the clubs. In October 2006 and again in November 2011, MLB and the MLBPA continued the unprecedented era of labor peace by reaching new five-year collective bargaining agreements. By the end of the current agreement, baseball will have gone at least 21 years without a strike or a lockout, the longest period of uninterrupted play since the inception of the collective bargaining relationship.

The significant changes to baseball's economic system have helped the sport achieve competitive balance, made evident by many developments, including nine different clubs winning the last 12 World Series and 26 different clubs participating in the Postseason over the last 10 years. From 2000-2009, MLB produced eight different World Series Champions, which exceeded the comparable figures of the other major American professional sports during the decade, and 14 different Clubs earned the 20 available slots in the World Series in the 10 years, which was also unsurpassed among the results of the other leagues.

In November 2005, MLB and the MLBPA announced an historic agreement to fortify its drug testing policy, making it the most comprehensive in professional sports and highlighting Selig's long-term efforts to try to rid the game of illegal steroids and other performance-enhancing substances. In July 2010, MLB became the first U.S. professional sports league to conduct blood testing for the detection of Human Growth Hormone (hGH) with the start of testing among Minor League players. In November 2011, the program became a part of MLB's collective bargaining agreement with the MLBPA, making baseball the first North American professional sport to adopt such testing.

Selig has expanded the reach of the sport in numerous ways. Under his guidance in January 2000, MLB took the unprecedented step of centralizing all of the sport's Internet rights under MLB Advanced Media. On January 1, 2009, MLB Network launched as the largest debut in cable television history. In 2006 and again in 2009, MLB and the MLBPA staged the World Baseball Classic, the most important international baseball event ever ventured, in which Major League players competed for their home countries for the first time.

Selig is guiding the game through a significant renaissance. Major League Baseball set its all-time regular season attendance record each year from 2004-2007, culminating in an all-time high of 79,503,175 fans in 2007. The 2008 season marked the second highest attendance total in history with more than 78.6 million fans. With more than 73 million fans again each year from 2009-2012, the last nine years represent the nine highest-attended seasons in baseball history. Revenues have increased more than five-fold, from $1.2 billion in 1992 to the $7.0 billion mark in both 2010 and 2011, which produced an all-time high.

Selig received many significant honors for his accomplishments, philanthropy and corporate citizenship in recent years. In March 2010, the Jackie Robinson Foundation, which aids academically distinguished minority students, presented him its Lifetime Achievement Award. In May 2010, the Taylor Hooton Foundation bestowed its inaugural Taylor's Award to Selig for his impact on educating American youth on the dangers of performance-enhancing drugs. In August 2010, the Milwaukee Brewers unveiled a statue in Selig's likeness outside Miller Park, honoring all of his efforts for his hometown and for his leadership of the Brewers and the game of baseball. In September 2010, Stand Up To Cancer, dedicated to groundbreaking translational research in the fight against cancer, made its first Named Innovative Research Grant in honor of Allan H. Selig and his wife, Suzanne L. Selig, for spearheading MLB's remarkable industry-wide support. In August 2011, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled the Allan H. (Bud) Selig Center for the Archives of Major League Baseball Commissioners, a permanent research space within the halls of Cooperstown, dedicated in his honor. In September 2012, the Green Sports Alliance presented its first Environmental Leadership Award to Selig; the Natural Resources Defense Council called Selig "the single most influential environmental advocate in the history of sports."

Selig is a major supporter of his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, as well as Marquette University. The University of Wisconsin has named several need-based scholarships and a history department chair in Selig's honor. Selig, who has taught at Marquette University Law School since 2009, was named to its adjunct faculty as distinguished lecturer in sports law and policy in 2010.

Bud and Sue have three daughters and five granddaughters.

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Jonathan D. Mariner,
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Mariner currently serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Major League Baseball in the Office of the Commissioner. In addition to his daily responsibilities for overseeing the Major League Baseball's central office budgeting, financial reporting, treasury, and risk management activities, Mr. Mariner's duties include overseeing all Club-level financial reporting through the team CFO's; administering MLB's $1.5 billion league-wide credit facility; and providing updates at Owners' Meetings on the industry's financial health. Mr. Mariner also serves on several Commissioner-appointed, League-wide committees, including those dealing with Finance and Compensation; Revenue Sharing; Labor Planning; Diversity Oversight, and MLB's long-term investment fund. Mr. Mariner previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for the Florida Marlins Baseball Club, initially under the ownership of Wayne Huizenga and, following a sale in 1999, under then-owner John W. Henry (now the Principal Owner of the Boston Red Sox). He also held the position of Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for the Florida Panthers Hockey Club during their initial start-up and 1993-94 inaugural seasons; and as Vice president and Chief Financial Officer for Pro Player (now SunLife) Stadium.

Mr. Mariner currently serves on the board of directors of FM Global Insurance Company; and Technology Frontiers, a privately held, Chennai, India-based technology firm. He also serves on a number of charitable, foundation and advisory boards, including the University of Virginia's McIntire School of Commerce Foundation; and Little League Baseball, where he chairs their audit and co-chairs their investment committees.

Mr. Mariner graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.S. degree in Accounting, received his MBA degree from the Harvard Business School, and is a former Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
Source: MLB.com

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Mr. William C. Bartholomay

Mr. William C. Bartholomay serves as the President of Willis Group Holdings Ltd. Mr. Bartholomay served as the President of Near North National Group, where Mr. Bartholomay spearheaded a number of client communication and organizational development efforts. He serves as a recognized insurance brokerage leader. Mr. Bartholomay has more than 30 years of insurance industry experience. Previously, he served as the President and Vice Chairman of Frank B. Hall and Associates. Mr. Bartholomay is a Member of Advisory Board of Granite Creek Partners, LLC. He has been the Vice Chairman of Turner Broadcasting System Inc. since 1994 having also held that office during the period from 1976 to 1992.

He has been a Director of Willis Group Holdings Ltd. since August 13, 2004. Mr. Bartholomay has been a Director of Mittal Steel USA ISG Inc. (formerly, International Steel Group Inc.) since April 2002 and serves as a Member of Audit Committee since June 2002. He was a Board Member of Midway Games since 1996 and WMS Industries. He served as a Director of Near North National Group. He serves as the Chairman Emeritus of the Board and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Atlanta Braves baseball team. Mr. Bartholomay has been involved with the team as a Director or owner ever since he led a six-person group that bought the Milwaukee Braves in 1962 and moved the team to Atlanta in 1966.

Mr. Bartholomay serves on Major League Baseball's Executive Council, its Finance Committee, chairs the Ownership Committee, co-chairs the League's Equal Opportunity Committee, and serves as a Trustee of the Major League Baseball Players Pension Plan. Mr. Bartholomay serves as a Member of the Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame. He was the Chairman of the Board of the Atlanta Braves for more than five years.
Source: Bloomberg Businessweek

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Mr. Mark Louis Attanasio, J.D.

Mr. Mark Louis Attanasio, J.D. is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Crescent Capital Group, LP. Mr. Attanasio serves as a Managing Director at TCW/Crescent Mezzanine Partners, L.L.C. Mr. Attanasio oversees TCW/Crescent Mezzanine Partners's leveraged finance group. He is responsible for capital markets and special situations investments at TCW. Mr. Attanasio joined TCW in 1995. Mr. Attanasio is a Group Managing Director at Trust Company of the West and the Group Managing Director of leveraged finance group. He is a Principal and Portfolio Manager at Westbridge Ventures, L.P., and WestBridge Ventures. He served as a Managing Director at New Street Capital Corporation. Mr. Attanasio served as the Co-Chief Executive Officer at Crescent Capital Corporation, which he co-founded in 1991. He served as the Managing Director at Drexel Burnham Lambert Incorporated and was a Member of the corporate finance, high yield, capital markets, and investment banking departments from 1985 to 1991. Mr. Attansio was an Attorney at Debevoise & Plimpton, LLP, specializing in corporate finance and securities law. He serves as the Chairman of Crescent Capital Finance Group, Inc., and has been its Director since 2011. He serves as a Director at The TCW Group, Inc.

Mr. Attanasio is also a Director at TCW Asset Management Company. He is a Member of the Advisory Board at GKM Ventures, and a Member of the Board of Trustees at the Brown University Third Century Fund. He is the Chairman and Principal Owner at the Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club, Inc. and is a Member of the Board of Trustees at Heal the Bay, The United Way of Milwaukee, The Greater Milwaukee Committee, Harvard-Westlake School, and the President's Leadership Council of Brown University. Mr. Attanasio earned a J.D. from Columbia University School of Law and holds an A.B. degree from the Brown University. Source: Bloomberg Businessweek

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Derrick Hall,
Arizona Diamondbacks President & CEO

Considered by many to be among the future leaders of the game, Arizona Diamondbacks President & CEO Derrick Hall has turned the D-backs into a model franchise within the sports industry and throughout the business world during his six years at the helm of the club. Hall focuses the organization's efforts in five areas he has called the "Circle of Success" - fan experience, performance, community, culture and financial efficiency - each of which has seen tremendous success during his tenure.

Hall received a bachelor's degree from Arizona State University, where he was named "Man of the Year" in 1991, in broadcasting and journalism and a master's degree from Ohio University in sports administration. In 2002, he was inducted into the ASU Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications Alumni Hall of Fame and was awarded the ASU Young Alumni Achievement Award in 2003. In 2006, Ohio University's Sports Administration Program awarded Hall as the 25th recipient of the Charles R. Higgins Distinguished Alumnus Award. Hall was the keynote speaker for ASU's Cronkite school convocation in December 2008, becoming the first Cronkite alum to deliver a commencement speech at the school's graduation.

In 2007, Hall was named to the Phoenix Business Journal's "Forty Under 40" class, was the recipient of the "Community Lifeline Award" from Teen Lifeline and was named the Phoenix Father's Day Council "Father of the Year" to benefit the American Diabetes Association. The SportsBusiness Journal added him to its prestigious "Forty Under 40" class in 2008. The Phoenix Business Journal also named Hall to its inaugural list of "Most Admired CEOs" in 2009. Hall is also a member of the ASU W.P. Carey School of Business "Dean's Council of 100," Young Presidents' Organization and the Thunderbirds. Hall and his wife, Amy, reside in Paradise Valley with their children Logan, Hayden and Kylie. Source: MLB.com

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The 11th President (2008-current),
O'Conner brings plenty of experience to Minor Leagues

Pat O'Conner has spent 30 years in professional baseball, including the last 19 in the Minor League Baseball (MiLB) office. He joined the Minor League Baseball staff in May 1993 as Chief Operating Officer and added the title of Vice President, Administration in December 1995. Pat was elected the 11th president of Minor League Baseball in December 2007. He was re-elected for a second term in December 2011.

Since arriving at the Minor League Baseball headquarters, O'Conner has overseen a period when the organization experienced staggering increases in revenue among its 160 teams. Minor League Baseball also set new attendance records for five consecutive years from 2004-08, including topping 43-million in 2008 for the first time since the organization was founded in 1901.

After 18 months as Director of Athletic Marketing and Promotion for Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, O'Conner returned to baseball in November 1986. At that time, he became head of Florida Operations for the Houston Astros and served as general manager of the Osceola Astros of the Florida State League from 1986-1993. Pat was named the Florida State League Executive of the Year in 1988, as Osceola posted the best record in the league at 83-54.

A native of Grove City, Ohio, O'Conner received a degree in economics and finance from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, and a Masters in Sports Administration from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.

Pat received the 1997 Distinguished Alumni Award from the Ohio University Sports Administration Program and the 2005 College of Health & Human Services Award of Distinction from Ohio University. He was inducted into the South Atlantic League Hall of Fame in 2000 and received the Friends of Baseball Chapel Award in 2005.
Source: MLB.com

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Jim Crane,
Owner and Chairman Houston Astros

On November 17, 2011, when Major League Baseball unanimously approved the purchase of the Houston Astros by a group headed by Houston businessman Jim Crane, a new era of Astros baseball began.

As the new Owner and Chairman, Jim Crane hit the ground running upon taking control of the Astros by immediately putting his plan to rebuild the franchise into place. As a highly-successful businessman in Houston and former standout college pitcher, Jim has the credentials to make the Astros a winning team both on and off the field.

From the start, Jim has been clear about his goals: To make the Astros a ballclub that can have sustained success at the Major League level by building a top-notch farm system, and to provide Astros fans with an outstanding experience at Minute Maid Park.

As a Houstonian, Jim shares the same passion for the Astros as its fans and is dedicated to bringing those fans the World Series championship that they deserve.

During the last two offseasons, Jim hosted several sessions with Astros season ticket holders and loyal fans at Minute Maid Park to receive feedback on a variety of issues. As a result, several new, fan-friendly initiatives were put into place, including a reduction in ticket prices of thousands of seats and rebates for season ticket holders. Under Jim's leadership, the Astros also used fan feedback to help design the popular new uniforms and logo that were unveiled in November. Jim and the front office team will hold similar sessions in the coming year to keep the momentum going and further improve the fan experience at Minute Maid Park.

Jim and his wife, Franci, reside in Houston.

Source: MLB.com

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