On Nov. 17, 2011, Major League Baseball unanimously approved the purchase of the Houston Astros by a group headed by Houston businessman Jim Crane, marking the beginning of a new era of Astros baseball. On Nov. 1, 2017, almost exactly six years from the date Jim purchased the team, the Houston Astros won the first World Series Championship in franchise history. As Owner and Chairman, Jim Crane hit the ground running upon taking control of the Astros in 2011 by immediately putting his plan to rebuild the franchise into action.

As a highly successful businessman in Houston and former standout college pitcher, Jim's credentials made him the perfect choice to build a winning team both on and off the field in Houston.

From the start, Jim was 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.

In just six years, Jim Crane took the Astros from worst to first in spectacular fashion. Houston's farm system, which was ranked as one of the worst in baseball in 2011, was ranked No. 1 by ESPN in 2014 and has remained one of the best year after year, despite regularly graduating top prospects. The Major League club went from a 111-loss season in 2013 to winning 101 games in the 2017 regular season, the second-most in franchise history, and ultimately its first World Series Championship. With a strong core of young talent returning to the Major League squad in 2018 and more reinforcements coming up from the minor leagues, the future remains bright for the Astros organization.

In order to make the experience at Minute Maid Park one of the best in baseball, the Astros have made several largescale renovations to the ballpark under Jim's leadership. Renovations have included the Diamond Club, main concourse, Honda Club Level, installation of a state-of-the art sound system, refurbishment of the player's clubhouse and workout facility, installation of new grass on the playing field and the debut of the new and improved center field area in 2017. The multi-million-dollar investment in center field was the most recent innovative update that showcases Jim's commitment to making Minute Maid Park a great destination for fans of all ages.

Jim recognized the need for a new Astros Spring Training facility and successfully moved the team to West Palm Beach in 2017, where players and fans now enjoy a brand new, state-of-the-art facility. He also successfully brokered the purchase of the Double A Corpus Christi Hooks in 2015 and is closely involved with the acquisition of a Class A Advanced affiliate in the Carolina League.

Under Jim's leadership, the Astros have supported several of MLB's diversity initiatives, including MLB's eighth annual Civil Rights Game and ancillary activities as well as MLB's Diversity Summit, a sports employment and business opportunity career and trade fair. Houston has twice hosted the Urban Invitational, a nationally-televised collegiate baseball tournament designed to give HBCUs and their baseball programs national exposure, as well as the Breakthrough Series, a collegiate and professional scouting showcase featuring a diverse group of some of the top high school players in the country.

Passion for the Game

Jim hails from St. Louis, Mo. where he became a loyal, spirited fan of the St. Louis Cardinals. As a teenager, he caddied for members of the Cardinals team at local golf clubs and parked cars for patrons at Cardinals games. Jim was impressed by the Cardinals' caring, family atmosphere and the team's close ties with the local community. He has carried these values forward throughout his life in business, philanthropic and personal relationships.

As a young man, Jim put his innate passion for baseball into action at Central Missouri State University (now the University of Central Missouri), where he was a standout pitcher for the Mules from 1973-76 under the late, revered coach, Robert Tompkins. He had a four-year record of 21-8 with an earned-run average of 2.42, and ranks first in career complete games (23), first in career shutouts (7) and third in career strikeouts (215). Jim still holds the Mules' single-game strikeout record with 18, and in 1997, was inducted into the Central Missouri State University Athletic Hall of Fame.

Jim was the primary underwriter of a $1.2 million renovation in 1998 of the old Mules Field on the University of Central Missouri campus. On Jan. 21, 1998, the facility was renamed the James R. Crane Stadium/ Robert N. Tompkins Field in honor of Jim and his beloved coach. Jim continues to contribute to the college annually to provide athletic scholarships for Mules baseball. In October 2015, Jim and the UCM Foundation announced plans to upgrade the university's baseball facility with a new synthetic turf playing surface in a continuing effort to make the Central Missouri baseball program one of the best in the country. On Jan. 29, 2017, Jim was enshrined in the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame for his outstanding pitching career at the University of Central Missouri, his generous donations to the UCM baseball program and his successful efforts in rebuilding the Houston Astros franchise.

Jim earned a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial safety from Central Missouri State University in 1976. This led to a loss-control job evaluating commercial risks for an insurance company and then a move to Houston in 1982, where he entered the freight forwarding business.

Success in the Business World

In March of 1984, at the age of 30 and with $10,000 borrowed from his sister, Jim founded Eagle USA Airfreight (EGL, Inc.). In his first office located in Houston with a sole employee, Jim handled the loading and trucking himself. The company made money in its first month, and Jim ultimately built it into an organization of more than 10,000 employees with 400-plus facilities in 139 countries. EGL was named one of Houston's "Best Places to Work," and reached No. 599 on the Fortune 1000 list during Jim's tenure. Jim has been the recipient of a long list of awards and honors for his entrepreneurial activities and business successes. The company was acquired in an LBO transaction in August 2007.

In August of 2008, Crane formed Crane Worldwide Logistics (CWL), a premier global provider of customized transportation and logistics services. CWL continues to grow rapidly with experienced members of Crane's management team and sales force at the helm.

Jim's love of baseball is unabated, and he has added the game of golf to his athletic endeavors. He acquired the Floridian, a private golf resort in Palm City, Fla., in 2010.

Giving Back

As Astros Owner and Chairman, Jim has embraced the opportunity to give back to the City of Houston and beyond. In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, Jim and the Astros ownership group were among the first to pledge $4 million to relief efforts. Jim also facilitated the shipment of over 240,000 pounds of disaster relief supplies to Puerto Rico, where he was instrumental in transporting families of Astros and other MLB players, as well as hospitalized patients in critical condition, to safety.

One of his first initiatives was the creation of the Astros Community Leaders program, which won the prestigious Allan H. Selig Award for Philanthropic Excellence in 2017. Formerly known as the Commissioner's Award, this award is MLB's highest recognition of the charitable and philanthropic efforts of its clubs.

Jim was committed to providing local children the opportunities he felt baseball afforded him in his youth, and developed the concept for the Community Leaders program. A multi-million-dollar partnership was formed with the City of Houston's Parks and Recreation Department and included participation from several corporate partners, whose financial donations supported the field refurbishments, yearround maintenance, league programming and uniforms. Now, tens of thousands of young athletes receive free uniforms, equipment, tickets to Astros games and professional instruction through the Community Leaders program. The parents, coaches and league participants also benefit from different types of clinics through the Community Leaders program, attending clinics on coaching, groundskeeping, nutrition, education, and much more.

"Baseball was very important to my own development," Jim said. "Playing baseball made me a lot more confident and comfortable in my ability to achieve things. I'd like to be able to help more kids get the opportunities I had through baseball."

Brady Ballard enters his 20th season in professional sports and his fourth year with the Hooks.

Brady's prior stints include General Manager at the Spring Training home of the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals, the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, and Vice President of Historic Dodgertown in Vero Beach.

The Marion, Illinois native was named 2013 Executive of the Year in the Advanced-A Florida State League as General Manager of the Daytona Cubs. Ballard began his career in 2004 with the Double-A Jacksonville Suns.

Brady currently serves on community boards for Visit Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi Sports Commission and Goodwill Industries of South Texas. Additionally, he previously served as the Event Chair for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer in Vero Beach.

Ballard received a degree in Economics in 2001 from the University of Illinois, where he was a two-time All-Big Ten Academic Team and Third-Team All-Big Ten outfielder.

Brady lives in Corpus Christi with his wife Gina, their son Dash, and daughter Hannah. Away from Whataburger Field, he enjoys golf, exercising, yard work, family time, and fishing in the Coastal Bend.

Maggie, who joined the organization in 2017, oversees all corporate partnerships for the Hooks.

Maggie moved to Corpus Christi in 2003 to attend Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Prior to joining the Hooks, Maggie worked for 12 years for Lamar Outdoor, selling billboards and other signage in the area. She worked closely with the Hooks in her position at Lamar, and she and her family loved attending Hooks games as fans. When the opportunity came to work for the club, Maggie knew it would be a great fit.

Maggie is the proud mom of her son, Hudson and daughter, Ryan. Family is the most important thing to Maggie and her husband, Morgan. In their free time, you will find them spending time together, at Little League baseball games, gymnastics or by their pool.

Kaleb joined the Hooks and the sponsorship department in March 2020 for his first role in baseball.

He graduated from Texas A&M in August 2019 with a degree in Sports Management and a minor in Business. In College Station, he worked as an intern in the Athletic Compliance department.

Born and raised in nearby Kingsville, he currently lives in Corpus Christi with his wife Sara and their daughter Eleanor.

Kaleb is a fan of the Houston Astros and Texans and loves anything to do with golf.

Becca joined the business development team in February 2024 after working two seasons as a member of the Hooks promotions crew.

A graduate of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Becca owns a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology. In addition to her coursework, the East Texas native served in multiple leadership roles with Zeta Tau Alpha while at the Island University.

Becca roots for all teams out of the Lone Star State, especially the Texas Longhorns and Dallas Cowboys. A big baseball fan, she is particularly torn when the Astros and Rangers battle for the Silver Boot.

Away from Whataburger Field, Becca enjoys spending time with friends and family, including her dog Bear. She also loves to start her day on the beach at sunrise, though that snooze button is mighty tempting during a Hooks homestand!

Pat became a Hook in January 2022 following a three-year stint with the Southern Illinois Minors Baseball Team. During his time in Marion, Ill., Pat served as a box office manager and an account executive before being promoted to group sales coordinator. His work history also includes director of ticket sales for the Tucson Sugar Skulls, a professional indoor football team in Tucson, Ariz.

Originally from Munster, Indiana, a northwest suburb of Chicago, Pat graduated from Indiana University-Bloomington with a major in Sports Marketing and Management and a minor in Business.

His favorite teams are the Chicago Bulls, Green Bay Packers and, of course, the Hooks! Pat is excited to make his home in Corpus Christi, while exploring what the Coastal Bend has to offer.

Anissa, who joined the ballclub in time for the 2021 campaign, is currently in her second role with the Hooks, moving from the promotions crew to our ticket sales and services team.

Born and raised as a Pirate in Sinton, America, Anissa played varsity softball at Sinton High School, where she graduated in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Relegated to online classes, she earned an Associate in Arts Degree in Business Administration at Del Mar College in 2021.

Away from the ballpark, Anissa enjoys traveling and spending time with friends. The Corpus Christi resident is an ardent supporter of sushi and buffalo wings, sometimes on the same night. On the playlist: throwbacks, Reggaeton, and country.

A Corpus Christi native, Darren entered the 2024 season in his current role after previously serving as a retail associate and customer service representative.

Darren attended Mary Carroll High School, totaling two seasons on the varsity football squad. Keeping his local ties, Darren continued his studies at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, graduating in 2023 with his degree in Sports Management.

The Islander graduate is a lover of the NFL, MLB & NBA, but keeps his roots firm in The Lone Star State as a fan of the Cowboys, Spurs, Longhorns and Astros.

Lauren joined the Hooks ahead of the 2024 season for her first job in professional sports. Born and raised in Stevensville, Michigan, she relocated to Phoenix, Arizona in 2016.

Remaining in Arizona for college, Lauren moved to the mountains to attend Northern Arizona University where she received her bachelor’s degree in marketing in 2022. Throughout her time at NAU, she worked for an event company that staged events all over the state. After college, Lauren focused on the wedding industry where she coordinated over 100 weddings throughout her two years there.

Yearning to get back into sports, Lauren moved to Corpus Christi, and is looking forward to being transformed into a Hooks fan!

Outside of work, Lauren enjoys reading, running, playing with her cat Kona, and finding the best pizza spots in town (let her know if you have any recommendations).

Kyle returned to the Hooks as Director of Marketing in July 2024 after working on the gameday staff and as a Promotions Assistant from 2017-2019.

A Houston area native, Kyle played football at Washington University in St. Louis before finishing his degree at the Coastal Bend’s very own TAMU-CC in 2019. His sports experience includes working gamedays for the Houston Astros and Houston Texans before his first stint with the Hooks. From 2020-2024, he led the marketing department for the Gwinnett Stripers, Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, in Lawrenceville, GA.

Kyle always has room for dessert.

Michael, who joined the club in 2007, serves as the primary play-by-play voice of Hooks Baseball, calling games with Gene Kasprzyk. Michael also assists in media relations and helps manage cchooks.com.

The Orange native graduated from Sam Houston State University with a Radio-Television degree in May 2006. He then finished the year as a broadcast intern with the Houston Astros.

In Huntsville, Michael served as sports director of the student radio station, calling four seasons of Bearkat Baseball and three seasons of Bearkat Football. He was also a student assistant for the university's sports information department, as well as a stringer at The Huntsville Item.

He currently provides play-by-play for CCISD football broadcasts in the fall and is the public address announcer for Texas A&M - Corpus Christi basketball.

Michael, his wife, Miranda, and their children, Joseph and Sophia, make their home in Corpus Christi.

Courtney transitioned to Creative Services in 2020, serving as the team's graphic design guru. She's been with the Hooks since 2012, first as an intern before moving into a full-time position as Community Relations Coordinator in December 2013. In that time, she oversaw community appearances, donation requests and held the honor of being Rusty Hook and Sammy Seagull's boss.

A South Texas native, Courtney was born a stone's throw away from Whataburger Field at Christus Spohn Shoreline Hospital, grew up in Calallen and graduated from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi with a degree in Sports Management and Marketing. She left the Coastal Bend for year to play softball at Blinn Junior College in Brenham, Texas, but returned home to attend TAMU-CC.

Courtney doesn't mind paying extra for guacamole.

Val’s tenure with the Hooks began in April 2021 as a member of the club’s gameday production crew. Their role quickly expanded to the Video Editor and Motion Graphics Coordinator and after six short months, Ballpark Entertainment Manager.

An Alice Coyote, Val graduated from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, where they earned a bachelor’s degree in Media Arts with an emphasis in Media Production. When not at the Ballpark, Val enjoys creating video content for various sports organizations, including Texas A&M University - Kingsville and even AAA-Affiliate, Sugar Land Space Cowboys. Their other hobbies include, spending time with family and hunting for exceptional Chinese food.

Val's goal as the Ballpark Entertainment Manager is to ensure that you, as a fan, have an unforgettable experience and create long-lasting memories. Go Hooks!

Brett, who joined the Hooks in August 2015, directs all ballpark operations and event staff at Whataburger Field.

A native of Reno, Nevada, Brett played two years of baseball at Feather River College in Quincy, California, helping the Golden Eagles win back-to-back conference and regional championships. Brett moved on to the University of Nevada-Reno for a Marketing degree before earning a Master's in Sport Management from the University of San Francisco.

Brett stayed in the Bay Area after college, interning with the San Francisco Giants' Guest Services Department in 2013. He then became a Ballpark Operations Assistant during the 2014 World Series season.

When not engulfed in baseball, Brett enjoys a multitude of other sports, including golfing, basketball, and wakeboarding, as well as wishing that his beloved Oakland Raiders would win their first Super Bowl since 1983.

Eric, who joined the front office in time for the 2017 campaign, has worked as a retail associate and retail coordinator before this current role with the Hooks. His operations duties include oversight of Hook, Line & Sinker, the club’s official team store.

A big-time sports fan, Eric backs the Astros, Spurs and Seahawks. The Corpus Christi native enjoys spending time with family, going to concerts, and sampling the best food and drink the Coastal Bend has to offer.

Eric and his better-half Jenna have a son, Joe Anthony and a daughter, Emily. Their cat Luna runs the show!

Marcus joined the Hooks as a visiting clubhouse manager in 2017 and was promoted to home clubhouse manager prior to the 2018 season. The Sioux Falls, SD native handles all operations inside the Hooks clubhouse and equipment room. During the offseason, he assists in various construction and maintenance projects around Whataburger Field.

Marcus started his career in baseball as a bat boy for the independent Sioux Falls Canaries before ultimately being promoted to clubhouse manager for his hometown team. He transitioned to affiliated baseball in 2015, working alongside his brother (Matt) as a clubhouse assistant for the Double-A Biloxi Shuckers.

Marcus has two brothers (including a twin) and two sisters. On 10/10/20, he married the former Jorden Klaevemann of Taft, Texas. Marcus and Jorden, who met at Whataburger Field, have a son, Jackson, and make their home in Portland. Outside the ballpark, Marcus enjoys going to concerts, the beach, playing golf, and spending time with family.

Taylor, who joined the Hooks in January 2022, is a graduate of Northwood University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management. The Minden City, Mich. native also holds a Sports TurfGrass Certification from the University of Georgia.

Prior to arriving in the Coastal Bend, Taylor was the Head Sports Turf Manager for the Dayton Dragons, Class A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. Additionally, he spent time as the Second Assistant Sports Turf Manager at Florida Atlantic University and Assistant Groundskeeper for the Gary (Ind.) SouthShore RailCats. His career began in Midland, Mich. as an Intern with the Great Lakes Loons, Class A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Taylor enjoys cheering on all Detroit Sports, as well as Michigan football and basketball (Go Blue). He currently resides in Corpus Christi.

Mike has been working with the Hooks since the inaugural 2005 season, supervising the cleaning of Whataburger Field.

Born in Munich, Germany, Mike was restaurant manager of the Corpus Christi International Airport from 1989-99. The Taft native also served in the Navy for six years as an Aerographer's Mate.

During his slim time spent away from Whataburger Field, Mike enjoys fishing and football.

Jessica joined the Hooks in 2014 and helps keep the club's finances in order. Hitting the decade mark, it's been noted as the best decade of her professional life with excitement to the next decade and beyond. Prior to coming on board, she worked in non-profits and also held Hooks season tickets.

A native of Corpus Christi, Jessica graduated from Howard Payne University in Brownwood with a degree in communications (2002) and received her MBA from St. Edward's University in Austin (2010).

In her journey through CCISD, she attended Club Estates Elementary, Tom Browne Middle School and Carroll High School.

She and her husband Daniel, a plein air painting enthusiast, live in Corpus Christi with their daughter Lindsey. The family of three also has three dogs in Paige, Dot and Kit. If her family attended Hogwarts, Jessica would be a Ravenclaw, Daniel a Slytherin and Lindsey a Hufflepuff. While we can't know for sure (because dogs can't take computer quizzes), it's thought that Paige is a Hufflepuff, Kit a Gryffindor and Dot is a Slytherin.

Jessica's best friend, Suzanne Shockley, has been the mastermind creating the amazing couture for Rusty and Sammy.