E.J. Buzzie Bavasi -- 1915-2008 -- was our Senior Partner Emeritus. His distinguished baseball management career spanned sixty years. He served as general manager of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers, founding president and part-owner of the San Diego Padres, and general manager of the California Angels. His clubs set attendance records in Los Angeles. His Dodger teams won eight League Championships and four World Series. His Angels clubs won two Division Championships. The Sporting News named him the Executive of the Year in 1959. He earned the Bronze Star during World War II. Until his death in 2008, Buzzie remained in near daily contact with a remarkable roster of sports industry executives, members of the national sports media, and Major League Baseball's most senior decision makers. He provided the Partners with strategic advice and operating counsel from a uniquely qualified perspective. In 2002 and 2011 Buzzie was nominated for the Baseball Hall of Fame. For a summary and timeline of his baseball achievements furnished to the Hall of Fame election committee, please see: www.BuzzieBavasi.com
Peter Bavasi was general manager of the San Diego Padres, founding president of the Toronto Blue Jays, and president of the Cleveland Indians, where he served on Major League Baseball's Executive Council. He directed the international sports practice at Hill & Knowlton, then the world's largest public relations firm, and was president of ESPN SportsTicker, the leading supplier of instant sports news and information. Since 1983 Peter has been a strategic advisor to teams, sports media outlets, and industry suppliers; and to cities seeking Major League Baseball teams, including the successful franchise pursuits in St. Petersburg, FL and Washington, DC. More recently, Peter served brother Bob Bavasi as managing partner of Bob's Yuba-Sutter Gold Sox of Marysville, CA (www.GoldSox.com), a hybrid summer collegiate baseball club and host team of the Horizon Air Summer Series, a groundbreaking invitational league concept.
Chris Bavasi is a former six-term mayor of Flagstaff, AZ and longtime federal agency executive. He is a founding director of the High Altitude Sports Training Complex at Northern Arizona University and serves as treasurer of the NAU Foundation. He is a member of the Arizona Baseball and Softball Commission, appointed by the governor. He serves as chair of the commission's Arizona Rural Baseball and Softball Committee and is a member of Arizona's Cactus League Baseball Committee. Chris provides uniquely experienced insight and guidance on municipal, regulatory, and public policy issues and strategies relating to local sports franchises and publicly financed playing facilities.
Bob Bavasi is an attorney and longtime minor league club owner (milb.com/everett), with well-established business relationships throughout Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball. He consults extensively to owners and buyers about minor league club matters, and manages the Partners' baseball initiatives in Japan, including the definitive guide to Japanese baseball (www.JapanBall.com). Bob is active in a variety of state and local civic, charitable, educational and nonprofit programs. He has developed a wide range of community outreach and civic involvement strategies to assist team owners and their staffs and players in creating effective community relations campaigns -- an important element in franchise building and marketing. Bob is the creator of the Horizon Air Summer Series, an innovative collegiate baseball invitational league, and the founder of its host team, the Yuba-Sutter Gold Sox of Marysville, CA (www.GoldSox.com).
Bill Bavasi is the director of Major League Baseball’s Scouting Bureau. Prior to that appointment, Bill was vice president of scouting, player development and international operations for the Cincinnati Reds. He formerly served as executive vice president and general manager of both the Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Angels, where he spent 20 years, first as farm director and then as general manager. Bill also served as player development director of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He began his baseball management career in 1974 with the San Diego Padres. Bill has been co-chair of the U.S. Baseball Olympic Steering Committee and a member of a variety of influential Major League Baseball industry committees. Bill works with Major League Baseball officials at all levels of team and league operations. He has long-standing associations with officials in the major domestic professional, amateur and collegiate sports; and with major industry vendors and suppliers. As well, Bill works closely with administrators and officials in the often-complex environment of international sports. Bill provides an experienced perspective and a unique understanding of the business of baseball at all operational levels.
Margaret Bavasi is an attorney and bank director who, with husband Bob, actively manages the Partners' ballclub interests. Margaret specializes in facility and event management and presentation, with particular emphasis on risk management and operational liability issues -- which are prime concerns for any franchise owner and facility manager.