Rays name Peter Bendix general manager
ST. PETERSBURG — The Tampa Bay Rays have promoted Peter Bendix to serve as general manager under baseball operations president Erik Neander.
The move, one of several announced by the team Thursday, doesn’t indicate a significant change of duties, as Neander remains in charge and Bendix has been a key member of the front office for several years, and a vice president since October 2019.
Rather, it reflects an increasing trend among major-league teams to have both a president of baseball operations and general manager share in the day-today leadership of the team. Neander was promoted from general manager to president in September and given a fiveyear contract extension.
In a news release, the Rays said Bendix, who also will have a senior vice president title, would assist Neander “with departmental oversight and an increased emphasis on major-league operations,
such as player evaluation and procurement, roster management and the day-to-day functions of the major league club.”
Bendix, 36, first joined the Rays in 2009 as an intern and worked his way up through the research and development department.
The Rays also promoted several other baseball operations staffers, including Will Cousins and Chanda Lawdermilk to vice presidents.
Cousins, who was director
of baseball research & development, is now vice president of baseball development. Lawdermilk, who had been director of staff development & recruiting, is now vice president of baseball operations.
Carlos Rodriguez, who had been vice president of player development and international operations, had his title changed to vice president of baseball operations.
“We’re constantly seeking to improve as an organization,” Neander said in the
release. “These promotions will enable us to continue to meet the day-to-day demands of our industry at a high level, while simultaneously allowing us to focus on the areas that are really important to us: caring for our staff and players, building trust and driving innovation.
“Pete, Chanda and Will are excellent, deserving executives and even better people. Pete has grown up in this organization, and I look forward to having him develop into an interchangeable partner, most notably with our major-league club. We’re equally excited to have Chanda and Will join Carlos Rodriguez as VPs, providing an ideal mix of skills, backgrounds and interests to serve our constantly evolving needs.”
Also promoted were former Rays infielder Cole Figueroa, from assistant director of hitting development to director of baseball operations, and Taylor Smith, from lead analyst in baseball research & development, to director of predictive modeling.
Five vice presidents on the business side of the operation were also promoted to “chief officer” titles:
• Rafaela A. Amador Fink, who was vice president of public affairs & corporate communications, is now chief public affairs and communications officer
• Juan Ramirez, who was vice president of information technology, is now chief technology officer
• Jenn Tran, who was vice president of human resources & organizational engagement, is now chief people and culture officer
• Bill Walsh, who was vice president of strategy & development, is now chief business officer
• Bill Wiener Jr., who was vice president of employee & community development, is now chief people and community officer
Among the key changes to that group, per the team release:
Amador Fink will now also overseebroadcasting;baseball communications; diversity, equityandinclusion;andsocial media.And,theteamsaid,“will continue to focus on engaging the community and its leaders in conversation about the Sister City Baseball plan.”
Walsh will oversee consumer revenue areas, including business strategy and analytics; creative services; marketing; and ticket sales and service.
Tran and Wiener, who have been with the team since 1996, will add stadium and event operations to their responsibilities, and Tran also will oversee fan experience.