Aces unveil six internal promotions to vice president, director

RENO, Nev. – The Reno Aces have made six promotions in the front office, moving four internal candidates to vice presidents as well as a pair of directors, ahead of the 2022 season.

“One of our core values at the Aces is Opportunity,” said president Eric Edelstein. “We are thrilled to have so many great people who are taking the next step in their careers with us. I’m excited to share in their growth and continue to bring the best entertainment experience to Reno all summer every summer!”

Sarah Bliss, vice president of event experience

Originally from Placerville, Calif., Bliss moved to Reno in 1995 and fell in love with Northern Nevada. She joined the Reno Aces in 2009, rising from part-time Ticket Agent to Vice President of Event Experience. In that role, Bliss oversees the Ticket Services/Operations, Guest Services, and Retail and Merchandise departments. She is also a coach for Girls On The Run in her free time.

Max Margulies, vice president of corporate partnerships

Margulies is entering his sixth season with the Reno Aces and the corporate partnerships department. Originally from San Diego, Calif., Margulies attended the University of Oregon to study sports business. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, hiking, kayaking and playing basketball.

Laura Raymond, senior director of ticket services & operations

Raymond, a native to the Reno/Tahoe area, joined the Aces in April of 2019. She has worked in multiple professional sports leagues, including Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League, most recently working with the San Jose Sharks. A graduate of San José State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Hospitality, Tourism, and Event Management, she brings a unique and customer-focused background to the member services department.

Vince Ruffino, vice president of marketing and communications

A Middletown, Conn. native and St. John’s alumnus, Ruffino is entering his fourth baseball season and fifth year with the Aces organization after spending over three years in the New York Mets organization. In New York, he was responsible for the marketing & social media efforts for Citi Field while selling non-gameday events. He has worked with a variety of large-scale events such as Electric Daisy Carnival (NYC), The Meadows Music & Arts Festival, Spartan Race and the Color Run. Ruffino was a member of the organization during their 2015 National League Championship. With the Aces, Ruffino oversees the general marketing & communication of the club with the general manager, while taking a deeper focus on digital strategies. In the offseason, Ruffino is the head basketball coach for the freshman boys team at Procter Hug High School in Reno.

Kristina Solis Director of Ticket Operations

Born and raised in Harlingen, Texas, Kristina joined the Reno Aces in December 2019 as the Ticket operations manager. Before moving to Reno, she worked with the Corpus Christi Hooks, the Double-A affiliate of the Houston Astros as the ticket operations coordinator, kickstarting her career in professional sports. She graduated from Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi with a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology with a focus in Sports Management and a Minor in Business Administration. When she isn’t cheering on the Aces, Kristina can be found rooting for the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Astros. She enjoys reading Harry Potter books, watching sports, camping, and playing with her three dogs Tootsie, Archer and Baxter.

Alex Strathearn, vice president of ticket sales

Born and raised in San Mateo, Calif., Strathearn completed his business degree at the University of Nevada, Reno in 2016. While attending school, he worked & played for the Nevada Wolf Pack football team. Strathearn started his front-office career in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals, but returned to Reno in 2017 to join the Aces. Since then, he has enjoyed working with the Northern Nevada community to create lasting partnerships and memories for our fans.

The full Aces front office staff directory is available here.