Jon Swisher (Corporate Partnerships Manager/Director of Broadcasting) is entering his first season working in the Northwoods League but is certainly no stranger to the Iowa athletics scene. A native of Anamosa, Iowa, Swisher has been an Iowa sports play-by-play broadcaster with a passion for bringing local athletics to life for fans. His broadcasting career began in college when he announced Kirkwood Community College basketball games in Cedar Rapids.
Swisher began his full-time radio career in 2005 at WMT and was the sports director and marketing &business development consultant at KMCH in Manchester since 2009 prior to joining the Dreamers. During that time, Swisher built a vast resume in a headset with play-by-play roles for University of Iowa softball, women’s and men’s basketball, Mount Mercy University basketball, baseball, and softball, Midwest Collegiate Conference softball and American Rivers Baseball tournaments and the IHSAA State Football semifinal coverage. In 2013, he served as the lead play-by-play voice for the Cedar Rapids Titans of the Indoor Football League. He has also been a part of the Learfield Iowa Hawkeye football radio network broadcast team for the past 17 years, serving as assistant producer/engineer, spotter and in-game scoreboard update anchor.
His experience across multiple sports and competition levels has given him a broad perspective on athletics in the state and a reputation for telling the story of the game while highlighting the athletes, coaches, and communities that make local sports special. For his efforts Swisher received the IHSAA Sports Media Award in 2019 for his extensive coverage, promotion, and support of local high school athletics, also a recipient of two IGHSAU Sportsmanship Awards and award winning sportscast coverage given by the Iowa Broadcasters News Association. Swisher resides in Manchester and enjoys spending time with family and friends, socializing, and watching sports.
Hometown: Anamosa, Iowa
College: Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Walk Up Song: Eye of the Tiger (Theme From Rocky III) by Survivor
Favorite College/Pro Teams: Iowa Hawkeyes/Chicago Cubs/Chicago Bears
Fun Fact: Has been able to impersonate National Baseball Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Caray since he was 6 years old.
Email: jswisher@dyersvilledreamers.com
Mason Leimbek (Director of Ticket & Group Experiences) is enjoying his third season in the Northwoods League having spent time previously with both the La Crosse Loggers and the Rochester Honkers working in their group experience and food and beverage/operations. Leimbek, a Rochester, Minn. native, possesses a degree in Sports Management from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. An avid fan of the Iowa State Cyclones, Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Wild and Minnesota Viking, he also enjoys playing club hockey during his free time. Mason is always eager and excited to help any fan with their ticket and group experience at the This is Iowa Ballpark.
Hometown: Rochester, Minn.
College: University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Favorite College/Pro Teams: Iowa State Cyclones, Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Wild, Minnesota Vikings
Email: mason@dyersvilledreamers.com
Hayden Goodell (Director of Baseball Operations/Community Ticket Sales) is excited to help lead the Baseball Operations and get the community involved in everything Dreamers baseball. Prior to joining the Dreamers, Goodell was the general manager of an indoor training facility called Garage Ball in Onalaska, Wisc. and also served as a member of the Field of Dreams Tournament staff in the summer of 2026. Goodell played collegiate baseball at Kirkwood Community College for one season before moving on to earn a degree in Recreation Management from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse during which time he also served as the Media Relations coordinator for the La Crosse Loggers in 2024.
Hometown: Holmen, Wisc.
College: Kirkwood Community College/University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Walk Up Song: Fishin’ in the Dark by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Favorite College/Pro Teams: Iowa Hawkeyes, Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
Email: hayden@dyersvilledreamers.com
Chris Goodell (Team President/Owner) is in the midst of his 28th season in the Northwoods League, having spent time with both the Waterloo Bucks and the La Crosse Loggers. Goodell, who also currently serves as the team president of the La Crosse Loggers and Mankato MoonDogs, served as the general manager of the Loggers from their inaugural season of 2003 through the 2018 season, helping build a stadium and team that is one of the top drawing teams in all of summer collegiate baseball. Goodell, an Oelwein, Iowa native who played baseball at the University of Dubuque, was honored as the Northwoods League Executive of the Year on two occasions, in 2004 and in 2012, and was recognized as the La Crosse Tribune’s Sports Person of the Year in 2009 and 2012.
Email: dyersvillenwl@gmail.com
Ben Kapanke (Owner) is in the midst of his 23rd season in the Northwoods League, having been with the La Crosse Loggers since 2005 season and is in his eighth season as the team’s General Manager after serving as the Assistant General Manager over the previous ten seasons. Ben, who is also a co-owner of the Mankato MoonDogs, helps oversee the day-to-day operations and is heavily involved with sponsorship sales, coordinating the events at Copeland Park & Events Center in La Crosse, Wisc., the concession operations, as well as the team’s finances.
Dan Kapanke (Owner), along with his wife Ruth, are the owners of the La Crosse (Wisc.) Loggers baseball club and La Crosse Steam softball club. Kapanke started the Loggers in 2003, building Copeland Park from the ground up. He is also a co-owner of the Mankato (Minn.) MoonDogs. Being a UW-La Crosse graduate in Economics and Political Science, Dan became heavily involved in local politics and is well-known throughout the La Crosse community, having also been inducted into the La Crosse Area Baseball Hall of Fame in 2023. Dan was elected to the State Senate in November of 2004 and represented the 32nd District in Wisconsin until 2011. Along with his involvement in the political realm, Dan has over 30 years of experience in the agriculture business.
Chad Surprenant (Owner), is the chief strategy officer for ISG, an architecture, engineering, environmental and planning firm with offices in five states. After earning a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Iowa State University, Chad Surprenant began a more than 29-year career at ISG. He was appointed president and CEO in 2001 and chief strategy officer in 2020. Surprenant has earned numerous professional awards, and he has served in several education, business and non-profit organizations, holding various member and leadership roles.
Kyle Smith (Owner) is currently a principal at North Star Aviation. He spent 25 years generating business opportunities in both the student housing and commercial sectors for the Tailwind Group. Holding a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Minnesota State University, Kyle has not only been active in real estate development, but his business experience also includes aviation, health & fitness franchising and the food service industry.
