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Joe has been the driving force behind acquiring the ballpark and bringing a Northwoods League franchise to Traverse City. As CEO and Managing Member of TC Baseball LLC, Joe was instrumental, along with Whitecaps cofounders Lew Chamberlin and Denny Baxter, in cultivating a group of community minded investors who saw the value this venue and this franchise could bring to Traverse City and the region. In his current role with the West Michigan Whitecaps Joe will have responsibility for the Traverse City franchise, and with the support of the Whitecaps organization, will provide strategic oversight and direction.
Joe is native to Grand Rapids and currently resides in Cascade with his wife Dana and their two boys Crawford and Becker. Familiar with Traverse City and the surrounding area Joe and his family spend as much time as possible at their cottage in Omena, Michigan. Active in the community Joe currently serves as a board member for both the Whitecaps Community Foundation and the Lake Michigan Academy. |
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Jacqueline Holm joined the Pit Spitters as the Team’s General Manager, in October 2022. The 2023 season will be her first as the team’s GM, but not her first in baseball. Jacqueline is no stranger to the industry of minor league baseball, most recently serving as the GM for the Quad City River Bandits, of the High-A Midwest League, during their 2019 season. Following 2019, Holm has held leadership roles with the Scott County Family YMCA in Davenport, Iowa, and most recently has led national event and tradeshow activities for a cutting-edge agriculture company based in Illinois. Holm’s impressive track record in baseball began with the Sugar Land Skeeters, an independent Atlantic League team, where she helped the Skeeters gain notoriety through a variety of high-profile promotions and landmark events. At the conclusion of the 2015 season, she moved to Davenport to join the River Bandits. There she held several leadership positions, finishing as the team’s GM for the 2019 season. While with the River Bandits, Holm’s leadership saw the team transform their social media presence, substantially grow season ticket usage and retention, and win a Midwest League Championship — all of which garnered her a nomination for the Rawlings Midwest League Female Executive of the Year award in 2017. Outside of the ballpark, Holm also helped extend the team’s reach into the community through her board work with several nonprofits and community organizations, including serving as president of the Davenport Rotary.
Jacqueline is a native of Sugar Land, Texas and don’t hold it against her, but also a Houston Astros fan! In her spare time, she performs in a 90’s alternative band, loves riding her bike and recently discovered a passion for restoring vintage furniture. She has visited 42 of the 50 states and plans on seeing the other 16 MLB parks she hasn’t yet visited. She looks forward to getting to know Traverse City, and calling it home! |
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Sam joined the Pit Spitters’ staff as Director of Sales in October 2019 and is entering his fourth season with the team in 2023. Before joining the Pit Spitters, Sam spent six seasons working in different sales roles in Minor League Baseball with the West Michigan Whitecaps, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, Peoria Chiefs and Fort Wayne TinCaps. Sam was born and raised in Beer City USA, Grand Rapids, MI, and is an avid sports fan. He attended Aquinas College where he graduated with a degree in Business Administration and Sport Management while also competing on the varsity baseball team.
When he is not at the ballpark, you can usually find Sam hanging out with his wife, Sarah, and son, Fielder, enjoying a drink at a local brewery, or cheering on his beloved Chicago Cubs and Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Sam is excited to continue to grow as the member of the Traverse City community as he and the rest of the Pit Spitters staff continue to bring affordable, fun, family-friendly entertainment to Northern Michigan! See you at the ballpark! |
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Just a city boy, born and raised in south Detroit, Ian graduated from Central Michigan University, the Harvard of the Midwest, with a degree in Sport Management and Marketing. The Wyandotte, Michigan native loves Pina Coladas and getting caught in the rain, not much into health food but is into champagne. Spends most of his time with the office dog Lucy, listening to 60’s and 70’s music, watching films with the subtitles on, and enjoying the Northern Michigan outdoors. This is Ian’s 5th year with the Pit Spitters and he can’t wait to create more fun and exciting experiences for the Northern Michigan community! |
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Ben joined the Pit Spitter staff halfway through the 2022 season. Before joining the team, he played baseball and graduated from Aquinas College with a dual major in Sport Management and Business Administration and a minor in communication. Ben was born and raised in Grand Rapids Michigan but is a die-hard Chicago Cubs fan, he spent a summer in Chicago on an internship where he almost had to take out a loan to pay for all the Cubs games he went to. When Ben is not at the ballpark you will find him on top of a snowy mountain snowboarding, trying to fix his slice out on the golf course, or exploring around Traverse City. Ben is very excited to be a part of our team and to provide long lasting memories for people here at the ballpark. |
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Kendall graduated from and played baseball for The University of Michigan. After graduating with a Bachelors in General Studies degree in 2015, he went on to play professionally for the Traverse City Beach Bums of the Independent Frontier League through the 2018 season. He spent his four off-seasons working in building services in accounts across the state of Michigan.
As an avid outdoorsman, Kendall enjoys fishing the lakes of northern Michigan and returning to his home state of South Dakota in the fall to hunt pheasants and other upland game. |
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Lauren joined the Pit Spitters as a social media intern in May of 2023 and was hired on full-time after the completion of her internship in September. She is from South Lyon, Michigan, a small town a little North of Ann Arbor, GO BLUE! Lauren attended Central Michigan University with a degree in Marketing, FIRE UP CHIPS! She liked to stay very active on campus, holding positions in registered student organizations and Greek life, working on campus jobs, and attending sporting events as often as she could. While attending CMU, Lauren truly found her passion for sports marketing while working for CMU’s Athletics Marketing Department.
When Lauren is not working, she loves traveling, attending concerts and music festivals, going to sporting events, spending time with friends and family, and rewatching New Girl for the 1000th time. She immensely enjoyed her summer with the team and cannot wait to continue working full time year-round! |
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Abby will be going into her third season with the Pit Spitters, second full time. She served as the operations intern for 2022. She is from Grand Rapids, Michigan, and a graduate of Saint Mary’s College of Notre Dame. In her free time, she enjoys trying new foods, reading, watching scary movies, hammocking, and watching baseball. You can find her with friends and family, including her 4 brothers, 1 sister, 2 dogs, and 4 cats! |
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Katelyn is a native of Traverse City and has been a Pit Spitter employee since their inaugural 2019 season. She’s in the process of earning a degree from Davenport University with a degree in Sport Management. Katelyn has worn several different caps, starting as a table and suite server, turned food and beverage intern twice, to her new role serving as the food and beverage assistant manager and suite hospitality. She strives to best serve each Pit Spitter fan she meets along the way.
In her free time, Katelyn enjoys coaching youth and high school softball, spending time with her loved ones, and taking her rescue cat, Graham Joseph, for stroller rides. |
