Jumbo Shrimp announce staff promotions, awards

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp have promoted a trio of front office staff and announced several winners of the club’s annual staff awards for the 2024 season.

David Ratz has been named the Jumbo Shrimp’s vice president, promotions & special events. Cody Davis has also been promoted to ticket operations manager, with Marc Spera being elevated to senior account executive.

Through a Jumbo Shrimp front office staff vote, director of corporate sales Dave Burke was named the club’s MVP, with community relations coordinator Sydney Ryan earning Rookie of the Year. The Jumbo Shrimp also honored their award winners who best exemplify each of the club’s core values: Burke (inclusiveness), director of broadcasting & media relations Scott Kornberg (relationships), Ratz (leading/creating/innovating), Ryan (community), assistant general manager Matt Goudreau (integrity) and senior vice president, sales Linda McNabb (growth).

Ratz, who originally joined the Jumbo Shrimp in 2016 as a promotions and special events manager, heads up the club’s promotional calendar, in-game promotions and special events. He ensures visitors to 121 Financial Ballpark are always entertained, excited and leave with a smile on their face. Ratz was garnered by his front office peers as best exemplifying the Jumbo Shrimp’s leading/creating/innovating core value in which he fosters an environment of innovation and creativity.

Davis worked as a Jacksonville Suns bat boy in 2012 and 2013, helped the Jumbo Shrimp in 50/50 raffle sales in 2018 and 2019 and served as a ticket sales associate in 2020. The Hilliard, Fla., native rejoined the Jumbo Shrimp in a full-time role as the club's box office manager in January 2021. He oversees ticket operations in the 121 Financial Ballpark box office, sells ticket packages and makes sure clients are happy every time they are at the ballpark.

Spera joined the Jumbo Shrimp as an account executive in March 2022. He helps sell season tickets and group packages, works at the box office on gameday and work to make sure all fans are enjoying their experience within the ballpark worry-free.

Burke is a two-time executive of the year and recipient of the John Johnson Award as the top minor league franchise per classification. He joined the Jumbo Shrimp in January 2024 as the team’s Director of Corporate Sales and helps oversee all the club’s corporate sales and the assets each client receives. The Wayne, N.J., native’s experience spans more than three decades and seven states with the Burlington Indians, Fort Myers Miracle, Hudson Valley Renegades, Grand Prairie AirHogs, Mississippi Braves, Akron RubberDucks and Jumbo Shrimp. In addition to his MVP award, Burke was chosen by his front office peers as best representing the club’s inclusiveness core value at creating a safe, welcoming, and fun atmosphere where people can find joy and be uplifted.

Ryan joined the Jumbo Shrimp in February 2024 and heads up all the club’s community relations efforts throughout Northeast Florida with impactful educational programs, productive community partnerships, the support of members of our military, and by making the community more inclusive for all while providing affordable, family, fun. The Texas Tech alum boasts past experience with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Melbourne Aces and Frisco RoughRiders. In addition to her Rookie of the Year selection, her front office peers also bestowed Ryan with best exemplifying the club’s community core value at making the Northeast Florida community better every single day.

McNabb, Goudreau and Kornberg also make up the remaining six Core Value Award selections by their front office peers. Goudreau’s peers picked him as the best representative for integrity for being honest, accountable and responsible for everything the Jumbo Shrimp do. McNabb best demonstrated the club’s core value for growth by valuing, empowering and engaging employees to lead to internal and external growth. Kornberg best exemplified the club’s core value of relationships by being engaged and committed to relationship-building both internally and externally.

While the offseason is in full swing, the Jumbo Shrimp’s Project NEXT ballpark renovations are continuing and on schedule as the club gears up for the 2025 home opener, set for April 1 against the Worcester Red Sox, Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.

ABOUT THE JUMBO SHRIMP: The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins and compete in the International League. The team calls 121 Financial Ballpark home for baseball but also a wide variety of additional community focused events with a goal of providing Affordable, Family, FUN to Northeast Florida. Winners of many marketing and sales awards and recognition since the team was rebranded prior to the 2017 season, the Jumbo Shrimp continually lead the state of Florida in attendance across all minor league professional sports organizations.