United Shore Professional Baseball League Names Leadership Team

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The United Shore Professional Baseball League has completed the hiring of its front office management staff.

Andy Appleby, chairman, CEO and founder of the league, as well as its Rochester-based parent company, General Sports and Entertainment LLC, has assembled the following:

Dana L. Schmitt, COO, has more than 20 years of experience operating entrepreneurial business ventures and in the practice of law. In her role as COO, Dana will help to oversee all league, ballpark and team operations.

Schmitt previously served as COO and general counsel of General Sports and Entertainment. In this capacity, Schmitt worked directly with Andy Appleby to oversee the development and operation of all GSE business divisions, subsidiaries and affiliated entities, while handling legal matters for each. She is licensed to practice law in Michigan and Illinois.

Schmitt, of Rochester Hills, received her Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of Michigan and she her juris doctor from the University of Michigan Law School.

Brian Berryman will  oversee baseball operations. He is responsible for hiring the coaching staff, player procurement, scheduling, enforcing the player code of conduct, the host family program, maintaining and developing relationships with MLB personnel and all other baseball related items.

Berryman, Bloomfield Hills, spent nearly 15 years providing risk management services to businesses in Michigan and Chicago. The past six years were spent with The Huttenlocher Group where he partnered with corporations and helped them take control of their insurance costs through proprietary Risk Management programs.

In 1995 Berryman was selected to play in MHSAA’s East / West All Star game and was drafted by the Houston Astros. He chose to accept a baseball scholarship to the University of Michigan. Berryman’s junior year he earned Michigan’s Geoff Zahn Most Valuable Pitcher award and was drafted in the MLB draft by the San Diego Padres. After an injury cut his career short he returned to Michigan to complete his degree.

Matthew Schul, vice president of corporate partnerships, joined the management team responsible for developing strategic client-specific solutions and long-term relationships for local and national sponsors.

Previously, Schul was executive of corporate sponsorship with the Detroit Lions, where he identified and developed partnerships for new and existing sponsors. Schul, of Rochester, served as a direct liaison between Detroit Lions’ players and staff for all assigned corporate sponsor constituents, receiving the NFL Team Recipient Award for revenue generation in 2012 & 2013.

 

Rod Emmons, vice president of tickets, groups and premium sales, is responsible for premium hospitality and ticket opportunities for individuals, season ticket holders and groups. He brings more than 9 years of experience with professional sports, including the Charlotte Bobcats, Dallas Cowboys, Phoenix Coyotes, and San Diego Chargers.

Previously, Emmons, of Huntington Woods, was senior manager of premium partnership sales at Palace Sports & Entertainment, where he developed premium hospitality opportunities for The Detroit Pistons, The Palace, DTE Energy Music Theatre and Meadowbrook Music Festival.

Theresa Doan, vice president of marketing and public relations, has more than 20 years experience in corporate marketing, sponsorships, and promotion activation.

Doan was manager of corporate development at Palace Sports & Entertainment, where she directed sponsorship and other partnering initiatives for The Detroit Pistons, The Palace, DTE Energy Music Theatre and Meadowbrook Music Festival for nealry 10 years. Doan, of Ortonville, previously served as retail ad manager and director of corporate development for 21st Century Newspapers, including with the Oakland Press and Macomb Daily.

Tim Dameron is director of promotions and will oversee game presentation and promotions. With more than 15 years of experience, Dameron began his career at The Palace of Auburn Hills handling game presentation and floor management for The Detroit Pistons, Detroit Shock, AFL Detroit Fury and IHL Detroit Vipers. His experience includes game presentation for the 2004 NBA Championship and 2003, 2006, 2008 WNBA Championships.

Previously, Dameron, of Waterford, held the position of assistant athletic director with Oakland University, where he received the 2012 Outstanding AP Award. Dameron’s responsibilities included overseeing sponsorship sales and game presentation for 18 varsity sports for both men and women.

Josh Hartman is senior account manager for corporate partnerships. He has been with the General Sports and Entertainment organization, the parent company for the USPBL, since 2008. Hartman is responsible for overseeing all corporate partnership fulfillment activities for the league, as well as participating in corporate partnership sales activities. Hartman was an integral member of the General Sports team that launched the USPBL in 2015.

Previously, Hartman, of Lake Orion, worked for the Detroit Lions of the NFL in the Premium Sales department. He assisted in coordinating game day events and promotions and was responsible for managing marketing spots for the media and corporate partners. He also served previously with the Grand Rapids Rampage of the Arena Football League in the Corporate and Ticket Sales departments, assisting with the planning, coordination, and implementation of client-sponsored game day promotions and events.