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Forty Under 40

Forty Under 40: Chris Marinak


ALEX TRAUTWIG / MLB PHOTOS VIA GETTY IMAGES
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred had a busy and impactful first year as commissioner in 2015, and Chris Marinak’s fingerprints were all over those defining elements.

Tightening up the pace of play, rolling out an expanded instant replay system, initiating a broad-based effort to engage youth, retooling quarterly owners meetings, implementing new recommendations for ballpark safety netting, and preparing for this year’s labor negotiations with the MLB Players Association — it made for a full year for Marinak, for years a key adviser to Manfred and a Forty Under 40 honoree in 2015, as well.

But as Manfred began as commissioner at the start of last year, Marinak expanded his own role in the new MLB leadership regime and became a critical cog in articulating the commissioner’s early agenda. In particular, Marinak played a key role in the development and rollout of the new instant replay and pace-of-play provisions, as well as Play Ball, a joint initiative with USA Baseball to boost youth baseball participation, even outside organized leagues.

Manfred’s early tenure has also been marked by a substantial increase in the transparency and contact between individual clubs and the MLB league office, and Marinak has been a central fixture in that effort, as well, meeting personally with each of the 30 clubs last year to help develop management’s overall platform in the collective-bargaining talks with the players. As a result, Marinak has deepened his own ties to team owners and executives.

“There have been a lot of increased opportunities to work closely with the clubs,” said Marinak, who’s been at MLB since 2008. “One of Rob’s key goals has been to have the increased level of dialogue with teams, and it’s been very fulfilling to help meet that vision of transparency that he has. It’s made us a stronger league and a stronger sport because of it.”

— Eric Fisher

Chris Marinak

Major League Baseball | SVP, League Economics and Strategy
Age: 35
Where born: Virginia Beach, Va.
Education: University of Virginia (B.S., computer engineering), Harvard Business School (MBA)
Family: Wife, Jennifer; child, Julie Anne (1)

Advice I’d give to my younger self: If you truly enjoy what you do, success will follow.
2016 will be a good year if: I can squeeze in at least three rounds of golf sometime this year.
Person in the industry I’d like to meet: Kevin Plank.

I’d like to change jobs for a day with: Commissioner Manfred. It would be cool to have your signature on every MLB game ball.
Group supported: Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation.
Most thrilling/adventurous thing I’ve done: Watching my daughter grow and change over the last year.
You'd be surprised to know: My first job was mowing lawns for my neighbors when I was 10.



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