The Official Site of the St Paul Saints Baseball Club: Ownership

THE GOLDKLANG GROUP

website

The Goldklang Group is a sports entertainment consulting and management firm. The Group provides operational consulting and management services in all areas relating to sports franchise and event acquisition, promotion and operation.

The principals in the Group are Marvin Goldklang and Mike Veeck. Goldklang is a noted owner and operator of several highly successful minor league baseball franchises, Chairman of M.S. Goldklang and Company, a New Jersey-based merchant banking firm, and a limited partner in the Yankees. Veeck is a noted public speaker and author, as well as an owner and operator of minor league baseball clubs that continually are recognized nationally for their promotional innovation and financial success.

In addition to oversight and management of four proprietary minor league baseball clubs**, the group provides or has provided operational management and/or sales and promotional consultation to clients through MG Group Consulting, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary, including the Florida Marlins Baseball Club (MLB), Portland Beavers Baseball Club (PCL) and Portland Timbers Soccer Club (A-League), the Brockton Rox (Can-Am Association), Sioux Falls Canaries (American Association) and Shaw’s Center, a full-service catering and events center, the Charleston Battery Soccer Club (A-League) and others.

** Charleston RiverDogs - Charleston, SC
    Hudson Valley Renegades - Fishkill, NY
     Ft. Myers Miracle - Ft. Myers, FL
     St. Paul Saints – St. Paul, MN

To contact one of the Goldklang Group employees, click on their name.
FOR ALL MEDIA INQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT:
Tyler Tumminia - Senior Director of Communication

Marvin Goldklang - Chairman

Mike Veeck - President

Tom Whaley - Executive Vice President

Jeff Goldklang - Vice President

Linda McNabb - Vice President

John Schumacher - Director of Food & Beverage

MARVIN GOLDKLANG - CHAIRMAN

Although he is a lawyer by profession, he enjoys working around the ballpark more than in a courtroom or the boardroom. A part-owner of the New York Yankees, Marv has served as the Saints’ Chairman of the Board since the team’s inception in 1992. He played a key role in the formation of the “new” Northern League in 1992 and moved to the forefront again last year with his assistance in the formation of the “new” American Association.

In addition to the Saints, Marv is the principal owner of Fort Myers , the Twins’ entry in the Class A Florida State League; Charleston (SC), the Yankees’ affiliate in the Class A South Atlantic League and Hudson Valley , the Devil Rays’ team in the short-season New York-Penn League.

Marv serves as Chairman of the Board for the Goldklang Group , which he co-founded in 1999, whose members provide management and consulting services. In addition to working with the teams in which he has a direct interest, the Group has several major and minor league sports franchises among its clients. It also has participated in the construction of sparkling new stadiums in Charleston, Hudson Valley and Brockton (MA) as well as assisting in the renovation of the Sioux Falls stadium .

Trademarks of his teams are their high attendance figures and their national reputation for interesting, innovative yet timely promotions. In 2004, the South Atlantic League inducted him into its Hall of Fame. Baseball America has identified Marv as among the most influential people in the industry.

Marv’s interest in baseball goes back to his college days when he pitched for the University of Pennsylvania. There, he set a school record that still stands when he hit four batters with four pitches. Not only did he do it in the same inning but he did it to consecutive batters.

Marv and his wife, Sheila, have four children – Deborah, Jeffrey, Arielle and Michael.

MIKE VEECK - PRESIDENT

The last name has been synonymous with fun at the ballpark for nearly a century. Mike Veeck continues to blaze new trails every season. He has many roles, including serving as co-owner and president of the Saints. The Veeck family started in baseball when Mike’s grandfather was president of the Chicago Cubs. During his tenure, William, Sr., gained fame as the person who decided to grow ivy at Wrigley Field. Veeck’s father, Bill, was a Hall of Fame owner with the St. Louis Browns, Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox and the then-minor league Milwaukee Brewers. Famous for so many occurrences at the ballpark, Bill Veeck will always be remembered for signing Larry Doby, the first black man to play in the American League and for sending 3-foot-6, Eddie Gaedel to the plate for the Browns in a 1943 game. The apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree. Mike began his baseball career working for his father with the White Sox in the 1970s. He left the game in 1980 but returned a decade later to run the Miami (now Fort Myers) Miracle. In 1992, he was named winner of the MacPhail Award, given annually for excellence in promotions with minor league teams.

He (along with St. Petersburg, FL based writer Pete Williams) authored his first book, “Fun is Good”, a business book with baseball connotations in April, 2005. When he is not giving speeches all over the country, Mike, who has worked for four major league teams in the past, concentrates his time on his minor league teams. In addition to the Saints, he and Saints’ co-owner Marv Goldklang have ownership interest in the Miracle, Charleston RiverDogs (South Atlantic League) and Hudson Valley (New York-Penn League).

Mike and his wife, Libby, reside in Mount Pleasant, S.C. Veeck is the father of two children, Night Train and Rebecca.

JEFF GOLDKLANG - VICE PRESIDENT

Jeff-G..jpg A New Jersey born southpaw, Jeff has been involved with the Group in various roles since its inception, coming on board officially in July 2002. Jeff began his career with the Charleston RiverDogs in 1994, handling the concessions and merchandise operations. He was instrumental in the transition of the club into its new ballpark, Joe Riley Stadium, in 1997.

Upon leaving the RiverDogs, Jeff worked as a Manager for SFX Properties, initially as a member of the Sports Group and subsequent to its acquisition by Clear Channel Entertainment, in the event and marketing areas. During his tenure at SFX, Jeff managed all aspects of the merchandising programs for Properties, specializing in formulating sponsorship agreements for national brands, primarily sports-related. In addition, Jeff developed marketing programs for the Talent division of SFX Sports as well as the Theatrical, Radio, and Outdoor divisions of Clear Channel Entertainment.

Jeff’s current responsibilities as Senior Director within the Group center on overseeing the general operations of each franchise, managing the group-wide Special Events Department as well as coordinating national and regional sponsorship and marketing opportunities for the teams in the Goldklang Group.

Jeff and his wife, Erica, are the parents of two children.

BILL MURRAY - TEAM PSYCHOLOGIST

One of the most visible – and busiest – actors in the world today, Murray first drew national attention as one of the original “Not Ready for Prime Time” players on the Saturday Night Live TV series in the 1970s. Eventually, he moved to the big screen and has appeared in more than 40 movies. He won his first Golden Globe in 2004 as best actor in comedy or musical for “Lost in Translation.” He also earned his first Oscar nomination for the same movie. Last year, he dazzled audiences with two outstanding but very different roles in “The Lost City” and Broken Flowers. His previous roles include such diverse films as Caddyshack, Ghostbusters , “What About Bob?” “Ed Wood,” Rushmore, “Charlie’s Angels,” “The Royal Tenenbaums,” “Hamlet,” “Garfield: The Movie, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and “Groundhog Day.”

A lifelong baseball fan, Bill has been a part of the St. Paul Saints since the team’s inception in 1993. On Opening Night, he was stationed outside the ballpark selling programs and later tossed out a first pitch. The next night, he coached first base. He was in the coaches’ box again on August 10, 1997 when he played a major role in the biggest rally in team history. That night, the Saints trailed Sioux Falls, 9-2, after three innings. With the pennant race in full swing, manager Marty Scott turned the third base coach’s box over to Murray, who had been coaching at first base that game.

St. Paul promptly began to rally, chipping away at the Canaries. It was 9-8 in the eighth inning with (current first base coach) Lamarr Rogers on second and Dwight Smith on third and two out when things really got interesting. Lance Robbins singled to shallow left. Smith scored easily and Murray daringly sent Rogers home as well. Rogers barely beat the throw to the plate and the Saints had a thrilling 10-9 victory – and the biggest come-from-behind win in franchise history.

Among Murray’s duties when he visits St. Paul: morale boosting and train spotting.