The 'CHEWY' Rising Star Award

Zack BAYROUTY Stockton Ports Class A California League Minor League Baseball

Named after our first Ralphie winner, and possibly one of the best PR people on the planet*, Steve "Chewy" Cherwonak of the Central Hockey League, this year's 'Chewy' award for one of the brightest rising stars in the PR firmament goes to Zack Bayrouty of the Stockton Ports.

Zack, in his third year in the media side of the biz, will begin his second year with the Ports by expanding his duties as both the Director of Media Relations and the club's broadcaster.

He began his career as the Media Coordinator in the cradle of PR greatness, Roger Dean Stadium (RDS) in the Florida State League, working for the Jupiter Hammerheads, the Class A Florida Marlins club, one of four clubs inhabiting that yard. The Palm Beach Cardinals, as well as the Gulf Coast League (GCL) Marlins and Cards clubs, also call RDS home. It's a crazy place, but GM Brian Barnes and AGM Chris Easom continue the tradition of picking great young talent and giving them a shot.

There are a lot of talented young men and women getting into the biz, including several reading this right now like Susan Lucci, wondering why they didn't get picked. What makes Zack Bayrouty stand out?

Under his watch, he has turned around the media face of the Ports, who were one of the less visible teams of the California League, from zeros to heroes. The Ports now sport a high profile regional and nationally known rep well known beyond the bounds of the local Stockton fishwrap and tube jockeys, thanks in large part to Zack's efforts to amplify the great things that the club was already doing in the local market.

Bayrouty's follow-through with the national media has always been first-rate. His press releases are exceptionally well written, thorough, and showcase both his players and his club well.

He has been the perfect fit for Banner Island Ballpark, one of the MLN Top Ten Ballparks in 2006.

Zack earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from Northeastern University in 2006. A life-long New Englander, he hails from Worcester, MA.

With this Ralphie, we salute not only Zack, but Pat Filippone, his GM, and AGMs Grant Christensen and Luke Reiff for putting a premium on their local and regional PR, and for recruiting a top talent like Mr. Bayrouty.

We look for Zack to continue to make the Ports shine. He is a young man of whom we expect great things in a bright future.

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* He always blushes when we tell him that.

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