AMERKS ANNOUNCE STAFF PROMOTIONS, ADDITIONS TO FRONT OFFICE
Sep 24, 2024The Rochester Americans announced today several staff promotions and additions to the team’s front office ahead of the 2024-25 season.
Leading the Amerks into their 69th season is Chad Buck, who was officially promoted to vice president of business operations on July 16, 2024. In his new role, Buck will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day business-related activities of the organization, which also includes the Rochester Knighthawks (NLL) and Blue Cross Arena.
Under Buck, who had been previous serving in an interim role, the Amerks were among the AHL teams honored with a 90 percent renewal rate in corporate sales revenue for the 2023-24 season, a mark the team has reached every year since 2016-17 except for the condensed 2020-21 campaign. In addition to selling 600 new full season equivalents (FSE) for another year, Rochester also saw a 20 percent increase in per game FSE revenue.
For the second straight year, Rochester was also one of only three teams to generate more than $27,500 in revenue through AHL team subscriptions this past season.
Buck originally joined the Amerks as a corporate sales account executive in July of 2013 after spending the previous five seasons working for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League. He most recently served as the executive director of business development, creative services, and game presentation, for which he was responsible for the overall management and development of revenue generating activities for the team, including corporate partnerships and suites. He also oversaw the creative services and game presentation departments.
Buck served as the coordinator of partnership development for four years with the Sabres and Buffalo Bandits (National Lacrosse League) after starting his tenure there as an intern. He also spent two seasons as a corporate sales account executive for the Bandits. In addition, Buck was the coordinator of sponsorship fulfillment when Buffalo hosted the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Prior to joining the Sabres organization, Buck interned in Guest Services for the Buffalo Bills (National Football League) for one season and spent time working in ticket sales for the Buffalo Bills.
A native of Canandaigua, NY, Buck received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Canisius College.
Natalie Immediato enters her first season as director of marketing & digital media with Amerks in 2024-25.
In her role, Immediato is responsible for the execution of all social media and marketing strategies for the Amerks, Knighthawks (NLL) and Blue Cross Arena.
Previously, Immediato spent three years with the Maine Mariners, ECHL affiliate of the Boston Bruins.
Before the Mariners, Immediato, spent four years working in intercollegiate athletics in various fan experience and marketing roles. The Wilmington, Delaware, native graduated from the University of Delaware with a bachelor’s degree in Sport Management.
Rob Balsamo was named the team’s director of business development on Sept. 17, 2024.
In his role, he is responsible for the overall management and development of revenue generating activities for the team, including corporate partnerships and suites. He also serves in a similar capacity for the Knighthawks and Blue Cross Arena.
Balsamo brings more than 26 years of experience working in business development in the sports and entertainment industry. He most recently served as vice president of global brand partnerships for ESL FACEIT GROUP, a pro e-sports and gaming organization.
Prior to that, he spent 11 years with the Professional Bull Riders (ENDEAVOR) as VP of global brand partnerships, selling global tour and event partnerships. He also served in similar roles with the Detroit Lions/Ford Field and Live Nation Entertainment/Motor Sports, including Monster Jam and Supercross.
A native of Webster, NY, Balsamo received his bachelor’s degree from SUNY Brockport.
Brian Krentzman has been promoted to manager of group sales following three seasons as the team’s group events specialist and youth hockey coordinator.
He was honored by the AHL following the 2023-24 season for finishing with the third-highest group sales among teams in the Eastern Conference.
Krentzman joined the Amerks having graduated from UMass Amherst’s Isenberg School of Management, where he earned multiple degrees in both finance and sport management.
While with the Minutemen, Krentzman was named as the top senior for the Class of 2021 in the McCormack Sport Management Department, one of the most prestigious programs in the country. He also served as vice president of the Militia, the official student section of UMass Athletics.
A native of Mansfield, Mass., Krentzman had several internships with the Pawtucket Red Sox (Worcester), The Northern Trust PGA Tour Tournament and Brockton Rox.
Matthew Crowley has been promoted to associate manager of partnership activation.
In his new role, Crowley will be responsible for identifying, planning and fulfilling all corporate partnership activation concepts that align with the Amerks brand and drive business results, including in-game promotions, events, in-market activations and partner digital/social campaigns.
Entering his fourth season with the Amerks in 2024-25, Crowley previously served as the team’s coordinator of partnership services, responsible for servicing, maintaining, and developing corporate partnerships, in addition to overseeing the overall experience and value that all corporate partners receive while delivering top tier partnership service and client hospitality.
Prior to joining the Amerks, Crowley spent time with Dick’s Sporting Goods, serving as the company’s first sports programming lead at their flagship House of Sport store located in Victor, NY. There he oversaw their state-of-the-art track and field complex, which included coordinating all events that took place at the facility, along with leading internal programming that he developed.
Before Dick’s Sporting Goods, Crowley also honed his craft working for Mach 2 Management, an event marketing company located in Victor, NY, where he served as an event specialist, serving clients airshow, tradeshow and auto show needs. Clients he worked exclusively with ranged from Ford Motor Company, Tissot Swiss Watches and The Walt Disney Company.
A native of Pittsford, NY, Crowley received his bachelor’s in Sport Management from St. John Fisher University.
Ryan Harr has been promoted to manager of community and public relations.
Harr, who enters his ninth season with the Amerks in 2024-25, will be responsible for developing and executing strategic initiatives to keep the organization engaged within the local community while also managing the public relations efforts to enhance the team’s brand image and reputation.
Additionally, Harr will continue to assist in the day-to-day media and community relations efforts of the organization and provide vital support to all marketing and digital media campaigns.
Prior to joining the Amerks, Harr was a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ media relations department for multiple seasons and held similar roles with the Rockford IceHogs (AHL) and Wheeling Nailers (ECHL).
A native of Latrobe, Penn., Harr earned his Bachelor of Arts degree with a primary focus in Sports Broadcasting and Information from Waynesburg University in 2014 while also playing football for the Yellow Jackets.
In addition to serving as the Amerks and Knighthawks multimedia journalist, Andrew Mossbrooks will also serve as the broadcast coordinator beginning this season.
In his expanded role, Mossbrooks will continue to be responsible for researching, writing, capturing visual content, and editing stories for multiple platforms while collaborating closely with the team’s marketing, video production, game presentation and business development departments. He will also be responsible for supporting each team’s radio and television broadcast operations through coordination, scheduling, storyboarding, content creation, and assisting with the execution of audio and visual content appearing each broadcast. Mossbrooks will also serve as a broadcast talent fulfilling various broadcast roles on-air.
Before joining the Amerks ahead of the 2023-24 season, Mossbrooks spent two years as the director of broadcasting and public relations for the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones, who at the time served as the ECHL affiliate to the Amerks. Mossbrooks has called games in the AHL, ECHL, SPHL, and NAHL, while also handling media, public, and community relations initiatives.
The Sunbury, Pennsylvania, native earned a bachelor’s degree in communications with a focus on broadcasting from Millersville University in 2018. While in college, Mossbrooks broadcast hockey games all four years for the University’s club team and later earned a broadcast internship with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL) his senior year.
Rochester opens its 69th American Hockey League season at home on Friday, Oct. 11 against the Belleville Senators at The Blue Cross Arena. Amerks 2024-25 Season Ticket Memberships, which start as low as just $17 per game, are on-sale now and come with several Members-only perks and benefits. Full and Half Season Membership options are also available. For more information on Amerks Season Tickets or to sign up today, call 585-454-5335 or visit www.amerks.com/memberships.