Storm Chasers President Martie Cordaro Honored as 179th Face on the Barroom Floor

When Martie Cordaro and his wife, Sara, first came to Omaha in March 2006, they had no idea what the city was all about.

Raised in the south, they knew one thing – they weren’t crazy about cold weather. Of course, as they flew into Omaha, they were greeted by 12 inches of snow on the ground.

But, once they got past the snow, they were impressed by what they saw. “The airport was the cleanest airport we had ever seen,” Cordaro said. “We ate our first meal at M’s Pub and stayed at the Omaha Hilton. It was great.”

The Cordaros were at a crossroads in their lives. They had to make an important career decision – should Martie become assistant general manager of the minor league baseball team in Omaha or the one in Lexington, Kentucky? They chose the Big O.

Now, 18 years later, Cordaro has become an iconic figure in the Omaha sports scene, serving not only as president of the Omaha Storm Chasers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, but also as president of Union Omaha, a soccer franchise in the USL League One.

On Thursday, Sept. 19, the Omaha Press Club will honor Cordaro for his tireless efforts in bringing family sports entertainment to Omaha by honoring him as the 179th Face on the Barroom Floor.

A native of Ruston, Louisiana, Cordaro’s love for baseball was spawned by his time as a “light-hitting second baseman” at Ruston High School. Cordaro stayed in his hometown to earn his bachelor’s degree in marketing in 1998 from Louisiana Tech University. He served three seasons as director of marketing for his alma mater's baseball program, while also being color analyst for the team’s radio broadcasts.

Cordaro’s path to Omaha included stops in Jackson, Tennessee (1999-2002), Birmingham, Alabama (2003-2004), and Battle Creek, Michigan (2005-2006). In Battle Creek, he landed his first executive position, serving as general manager of the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays, the Single-A affiliate for Tampa Bay.

“No one wanted to go to Battle Creek,” Cordaro said. “The field didn’t drain.” More than that, his office was located in the master bedroom of a double-wide trailer.

In coming to Omaha, Cordaro worked for Alan Stein, former president of the Omaha Storm Chasers, who was honored by the Omaha Press Club in 2011 as the 129th Face on the Barroom Floor. Now retired and living in Lexington, Kentucky, Stein will return to Omaha to be one of Cordaro’s roasters.

At the conclusion of the 2007 season, Cordaro was named general manager. He was intimately involved in the research, negotiation and project management to build a new ballpark for the franchise in Sarpy County. He also led the process of the successful rebranding and renaming of the Omaha franchise and orchestrated the naming rights partnership with Sarpy County-based Werner Enterprises for Werner Park.

Since 2011, Cordaro has served as president of the Storm Chasers. In 2021, Cordaro branched into soccer as Union Omaha was formed. He has realized success in both sports, being named the 2013 Baseball America Minor League Baseball Executive of the Year and the 2021 USL League One President of the Year.

Under Cordaro, Werner Park hosted the 2015 First National Bank Triple-A All-Star Game and won back-to-back Triple-A national championships in 2013 and 2014. Since Werner Park opened in 2011, more than five million fans have enjoyed games and events at the venue.

In 2009, Cordaro was among the honorees for the Midlands Business Journal's “40 under 40 Award.” In 2012, he was honored by Ruston High School as its Young Alumnus of the Year.

With community at the forefront of Cordaro’s daily efforts, the team was named 2016 Ballpark Digest’s Charity Team of the Year. In 2013 and 2017, the team was the Pacific Coast League’s nominee for Minor League Baseball’s John Henry Moss Community Service Award, given to a club “that demonstrates an outstanding, ongoing commitment to charitable service, support and leadership within their local community and baseball industry.”

In 2009 and 2015, the Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce honored the Storm Chasers as the “Business of the Year.” In three consecutive years (2008-2010), ESPN the Magazine recognized the Omaha baseball franchise for its promotional work with the prestigious “Veeckie Award,” named in honor of the legendary baseball promoter, Bill Veeck.

In 2009, the Kansas City Royals honored Cordaro with the Matt Minker Award as the organization’s outstanding minor league affiliate employee. In 2020, Cordaro earned the George Brett Award for Commitment to ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).

In addition to being an active member in area chamber and business associations, Cordaro serves on the Regional Advisory Council of the ALS Association Mid-American chapter; is a trustee and a past president of Omaha West Rotary Club; serves on the Boys Town Boosters; is a member of the CHI Health Midlands Hospital Charitable Council; and is on the Omaha Sports Commission board of directors. He also serves on industry committees within Minor League Baseball and the United Soccer League.

A huge fanatic of all-things Star Wars, Cordaro is also a music afficionado. In the 1990s, he played drums professionally with Stonybridge and now plays in the local band, Strange Pleasures.

The Cordaros have three sons, Gavin (28), Collin (20) and Cass (16).

Face on Barroom Floor – Martie Cordaro

WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 19: 5:30 p.m. – reception; 6:30 p.m. – dinner; 8 p.m. – roast

COST: $90 for OPC members; $100 for non-members

RSVP: The event is open to the public. Call the OPC at 402-345-8008. Members can charge to their OPC account. Non-members need to provide their credit card information.

Cordaro Roasters Set

Here is the slate of roasters who will be skewering Martie Cordaro, president of the Omaha Storm Chasers and Union Omaha:

• Gary Sharp, emcee, host of "Mornings with Sharp & Handley," 1620 the Zone;
• Alan Stein, former president, Omaha Storm Chasers, Face No. 129 (May 2011);
• Lee Polikov, Sarpy County attorney;
• Derek Leathers, chairman & CEO, Werner Enterprises; and
• Gary Green, CEO & principal owner, Union Omaha & Omaha Storm Chasers.