Family: Wife (Diane) and three children (Bradley, Sam, Katie)
What was the smartest thing your company did in the past year?
โFocusing on the affordability of the Miller Park experience was a very high priority for us in 2009, and I believe it was time and effort well spent.โ
Whatโs new at your company?
โWe are implementing several new upgrades to Miller Park that will be announced next month. Also, as with any sports team, the off-season is a time to evaluate our player roster and introduce new talent.โ
Do you plan to hire any additional staff or make any significant capital investments in your company in the next year?
โWe plan on hiring two to three additional persons and making capital investments to Miller Park in 2010.โ
What will be your companyโs main challenges in the next year?
โOur main challenge will be to sustain the attendance levels achieved in 2008 and 2009 while improving the team on the field in a challenging financial landscape.โ
Do you have a business mantra?
โHire intelligent people and ensure they have the resources (financial, technical, staffing) to succeed.โ
Whatโs the hottest trend in your industry?
โThe impact of new technology on the fan experience.โ
From a business standpoint, who do you look up to?
โCommissioner (Bud) Selig and Tony Tavares (former president of the Anaheim Angels and Mighty Ducks).โ
What was the best advice you ever received?
โNot all of your decisions will be correct, but the worst decision you can make is not deciding.โ
Whatโs the funniest thing that ever happened to you in your career?
โOverreacting to the Pittsburgh Piratesโ Randall Simon hitting one of the Klements Famous Sausages with a baseball bat by calling it the โwurstโ thing I had ever seen inside or outside a baseball stadium. My wife was in Los Angeles at the time of the incident and heard about it on a local Los Angeles radio station. The radio announcers replayed my comments and stated that I needed to โget a life.โ People here would suggest that Iโm still searching for that โlife.'โ
What do you like to do in your free time?
โI like to read non-fiction books (American history), work out and play Beatles Rock Band with my kids.โ
Rick Schlesinger, Executive vice president of Business Operations, Milwaukee Brewers
One Brewers Way, Milwaukee, WI
www.brewers.com
Industry:
Sports and entertainment
Number of employees:
110 full-time business
operations employees