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Keys President Ken Young Named Minor League Executive Of The Year

December 4, 2009 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Frederick Keys News Release


Frederick, MD - The Frederick Keys, Class-A Advanced Affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, are proud to announce that team president Ken Young has been Minor League Executive of the Year by Baseball America.

Along with the Keys, Young owns the Triple-A Norfolk Tides, Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes, Double-A Bowie Baysox and Harry Grove Stadium Concessionaire Ovations Food Services. Young became the President of the Frederick Keys when his ownership group purchased the club along with the Bowie Baysox in the fall of 2006.

Young has been in the recreational food business for over 30 years. Since graduating from Penn State University in 1972, he has worked with a number of stadiums and arenas. Young has even worked some of the world's largest sporting events, such as the Olympics, the Super Bowl and the World Series.

In 1993, Young became President of the Norfolk Tides. He put together an investment group a year earlier to purchase the club from the New York Mets. Since taking over day-to-day control of the Tides, the club has experienced unprecedented success, averaging over 500,000 fans per season.

In 2003, Young led an investment group that purchased the Calgary Cannons. The team moved into a new stadium in 2003 in Albuquerque, NM, where it has averaged over 600,000 fans per season.

Under his stewardship, the Keys have worked with the City of Frederick to renovate many aspects of Harry Grove Stadium.

A brand new field turf was installed prior to the 2007 season leading to increases in high level prospects, major league rehabbing players and attendance over the past three seasons. Keys ownership also installed reserved seating prior to 2007, with individual seats with drink holders taking away the bleachers behind home plate that stood beforehand.

In 2008, Keys ownership invested in upgrades by refurbishing the entire suite level including the Keys Café. These renovations included installation of new air conditioning units for each suite along with the replacement of carpet, ceiling, cabinetry, countertops and lighting fixtures for all suites and the Keys Café.

During the 2008 season, a new energy efficient lighting system was installed upgrading the outdated technologies bringing the field lighting to minor league baseball standards. By doing so the new system has reduced light spill into the surrounding areas insuring 90% of the light from fixtures is focused on the field.

Last year, a new videoboard, scoreboard and sound system enhanced the gameday experience at Harry Grove Stadium. The park was also brought up to code with the Americans with Disabilities Act with renovations of the restrooms, press box and clubhouses heading up the project.

With the bevy of facility improvements, the Keys led its entire 30-team level in attendance in 2009. The attendance lead marked the first time Frederick has paced the Carolina League since 1994.

Young is also on the Board of Trustees of Minor League Baseball, and heads up the licensing operations for college football's Outback Bowl in Tampa, FL.

Baseball America will present Young with the award at Baseball's Winter Meetings in Indianapolis, IN next week. A viewing of the announcement article can be found by following the link below.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/minors/awards/executive-of-the-year/2009/269234.html


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