Art Solomon is the President and CEO of DSF Sports, the parent company of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
Under Art's direction, the Fisher Cats have earned several distinctions throughout the baseball industry. Most recently, the Fisher Cats earned the Eastern League nomination for the 2012, 2013, and 2014 John H. Johnson President's Trophy, which recognizes the top organization in Minor League Baseball based on franchise stability, contributions to the community, and promotion of the baseball industry.
In 2010, the club was honored with the prestigious Larry MacPhail Award as the nation's best in promotional effort and community involvement. In 2009 the club won Baseball America's Double-A Bob Freitas Award recognizing the Fisher Cats as the most outstanding franchise at the Double-A level for overall business operation and long-term success.
Art has reproduced his blueprint for successful minor league baseball teams into a new book called 'Making It in the Minors'. It details the behind-the-scenes, often-untold stories about the business of baseball, from acquiring a franchise to developing marketing and branding strategies, and more. All proceeds from the book are being donated to Minor League Baseball Charities.
Only second to his love of family and baseball is Art's commitment to strong and vibrant local communities. The Fisher Cats and the Fisher Cats Foundation have provided more than $4 million on monetary and in-kind donations for thousands of non-profit groups since 2006. The headline event is the annual Granite State Baseball Dinner, which donated $140,000 for charity in 2015.
Earlier in his career, he worked for the anti-poverty programs in New Haven, Connecticut and in Washington D.C. While he was as a professor of Economics and Urban Studies at M.I.T., he served as the Executive Director of the Harvard-M.I.T. Joint Center for Urban Studies -- a leading think tank on the development of our cities and regions.
Widely regarded as one of the most successful investors, developers, and operators in the United States real estate market, Art holds a B.A. from Brown University, an M.A. from Trinity College, and a Ph.D. from Harvard University.
He is married to Sally Lapides and has three children, two step children and eight grandchildren.
Contact Us - Front Office Staff
Box Office Hours
Normal Box Office Hours:
Monday - Friday: 9am - 5pm
Saturday & Sunday: Closed
Gameday Box Office Hours:
Monday - Friday: 9am - End of Game
Saturday: 10am - End of Game
Sunday: 9am - End of Game
Ownership - Operated by DSF Sports Group
Executive Staff
Mike joined the Fisher Cats in the fall of 2006. He spent his first season as the Fisher Cats' Director of Ticket Sales, progressing to his current position as the team's President.
A member of the 2011 and 2018 Eastern League Champions, Mike was also a vital piece of the Fisher Cats front office that received the 2018 Eastern League nomination for the John H. Johnson President's Award. He was also a part of the Fisher Cats front office that was presented with the 2010 Larry MacPhail Award, naming the club as the top team for promotional effort and community involvement throughout all levels of Minor League Baseball, and the 2009 Double-A Bob Freitas Award by Baseball America, recognizing the club for achieving long-term success in Minor League Baseball.
Mike is an active member of the community, serving as a board member for the American Heart Association of New Hampshire as well as HOPE for New Hampshire Recovery.
His combination of business success and personal involvement in the community earned Mike recognition as a 2013 '40 Under Forty' by the New Hampshire Union Leader. Mike is a native of southern New Hampshire who graduated from Pinkerton Academy and attended Hesser College. He currently resides in Londonderry with his wife, Tracey, their sons Gabriel and Colby, and daughters Abigail and Sophia.
Jim returned to New England to head the Fisher Cats' ticketing and operations efforts from the Tacoma Rainiers, Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners, before being tabbed as the General Manager in November of 2016. Born and raised in the Boston suburb of Milton, Mass., he began his career in baseball with the independent Worcester Tornadoes of the Can-Am league while studying at the College of the Holy Cross.
After graduating in May of 2008 with a B.A. in Economics, Jim spent one more season with the Tornadoes before making the leap across the country to become the Stadium Operations Manager for the Visalia Rawhide, the High-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
After one season in California, Jim headed north to join the Tacoma Rainiers as a member of the Premium Ticket Sales Staff. He served one season as the Director of Corporate Partnerships before spending four seasons as the team's Vice President of Business Development.
Ticket & Group Sales
Erik is in his 21st year in Minor League Baseball, and his 17th with the Fisher Cats. Prior to joining the Fisher Cats, Erik worked two seasons with the New Haven Ravens, the team that ultimately moved to New Hampshire. After joining the Fisher Cats in the fall of 2003, Erik spent his first eight seasons as the Fisher Cats' Director of Group Sales, progressing to his current position as the Executive Director of Sales.
Erik is an active and passionate member in the community who serves on many boards and committee's like the Salvation Army Advisory Board, Manchester Little League Board, Manchester Saint Patrick's Parade Board, Veterans Memorial Monument Fund board for the New Hampshire Global War on Terror Memorial that rests at the Boscawen Veterans Cemetery, Serves on the Manchester Downtown Committee, is a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Queen City Rotary Club, Hooksett Kiwanis Club, volunteers with the Caregivers, New Horizons and Families in Transition. He was also a helpful part of the Gold Star Mothers Memorial that stands tall in Stanton plaza.
Erik is a native of Western Massachusetts who graduated from South Hadley High School, and attended Holyoke Community College and Westfield State College. He currently resides in Manchester with his wife, Kristen, and their son, Jayden.
Stephanie joined the Fisher Cats near the end of the 2012 season, and was promoted to her current position in the fall of 2013. She brings a wide variety of experience in the hospitality and entertainment industries ranging from restaurants, concert venues, banquets, and event sales, as well as leadership roles in operations, including six years with the Hard Rock Cafe and Hard Rock Live at Universal Orlando.
Her unique skill set in special event coordination and sales, along with a Master of Science degree in Hospitality Management from the University of Central Florida, have led her to her current role with the Fisher Cats, her first sports entertainment venture.
After living 10 years in Orlando, Fla., the New Hampshire native currently resides in Auburn.
Tara begins her fifth year in Minor League Baseball at the start of 2020. She previously worked within the Box Office of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers in 2016. She is currently working on her Sports Management Degree from Post University.
Born and raised in the Washington D.C. area, Tara is an avid Washington Nationals, Notre Dame Football, and Indiana Basketball fan. With apologies to the Blue Jays, her staff photo was taken the morning after the Nats secured the World Series championship.
Heather, originally from Brockton, Massachusetts, joins the Fisher Cats for her first season with the organization and her second season in Minor League Baseball. Beginning in August 2018, she worked with UNH Athletics as a "Cat Crew" Marketing intern, co-directing Women's Hockey for the 2018-19 season and directing Men's Hockey for this past 2019-20 season.
Heather joined the Portland Sea Dogs (Boston Red Sox Double-A affiliate) as an Associate Game Day Intern for the 2019 season, where she began learning about the operations within baseball through in-game promotions, ticket and program sales, and customer service. Her time with the Sea Dogs inspired her to pursue a career in Minor League Baseball, as she enjoys connecting with fans through the fun, community-oriented atmosphere.
Heather will be graduating from the University of New Hampshire in May 2020 with her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing, along with a Minor in Social Work. Outside the office, she loves spending time with her friends and family, going on bike rides, and soaking up the sun at North Beach in Hampton, NH.
Marketing & Communications
Tyler Zickel - known to legions of Fisher Cats faithful as "Zick" as well as one of the voices of the team's radio broadcasts - has been promoting Ferocious Fun in the Granite State since 2017, when he left California on an adventure that has spanned 11 Eastern League cities, hundreds of 'Cats games and countless moments and memories made along the way.
The San Diego native embarks on his seventh season of Minor League Baseball in 2020. He cut his teeth with the Lake Elsinore Storm of the California League, where he worked his way from Media Relations Intern to Assistant Director of Marketing to Director of Digital Content, all while broadcasting Storm games as the Assistant Broadcaster. It was in Lake Elsinore that Tyler discovered a talent for dressing in costume, dancing on dugouts and combining his unique brand of personality, love of baseball and boundless energy that led to the character that entertains and delights all (well, most) at Delta Dental Stadium and, as of 2018, at University of New Hampshire football and men's hockey games.
A graduate of Whittier College, Tyler strives to follow the advice of the poet e e cummings: "To be nobody-but-yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight."
Sarah joined the Fisher Cats in October 2016 as the Marketing Coordinator and was promoted to the Marketing & Promotions Manager in 2017. Prior to New Hampshire, she served as the Development Associate for The Sports Museum at the TD Garden in Boston. 2020 will mark Sarah's fifth season in minor league baseball, having served as the Community Relations intern for the Richmond Flying Squirrels during the 2015 season and a Front Office intern for the Bakersfield Blaze in 2012.
Sarah received her Bachelor of Science in Sport Management from UMass Amherst in 2014, where she participated in the UMass Minuteman Marching Band. Originally from Bakersfield, CA, Sarah currently resides in Northfield, NH with her cats, Benji and Winni and husky, Reese.
Tyler Murray enters his fifth year with the Fisher Cats, and his ninth as a broadcaster in Minor League Baseball. He spent 2015 in the same role with the Daytona Tortugas (Cincinnati Reds Advanced-A Affiliate), and was voted Florida State League Broadcaster of the Year by his peers and the league's general managers.
Tyler is also the play-by-play voice of Dartmouth Football and Hockey on ESPN+, and spent three seasons broadcasting Women's Hockey for his alma mater, Boston University. In 2019, Tyler was on the call for two Blue Jays Spring Training games on the Sportsnet Radio Network and MLB.com, as well as a Triple-A game with the Buffalo Bisons.
His play-by-play experience includes UMass Hockey on NESN, Harvard Soccer, Basketball and Hockey on NESN, Stetson University Football and Basketball on ESPN3, and Providence Bruins Hockey on the AHL Broadcast Network. Tyler has called games for the Cape Cod Baseball League and dozens of schools in New England, including UNH, UMass, Northeastern, Providence, Holy Cross, Amherst, UMass-Boston, St. Anslem, MIT, and Merrimack.
He started his MiLB career as a broadcast assistant with the Advanced-A Daytona Cubs in 2012, then spent the next two seasons as the Coordinator of Broadcasting & Media Relations with the Dunedin Blue Jays, Toronto's Advanced-A Affiliate and Spring Training host.
As a student at Boston University, he broadcast men's hockey, ran the student sports radio station (WTBU) and interned for NPR's Only A Game, WBZ-TV, WEEI.com and NESN. Born in Riverside, Connecticut and raised in Medfield, Massachusetts, Tyler now lives in Nashua with his wife Chrissy and their trusty outdoor wood furnace.
Corporate Partnerships
A native of Bedford, N.H. with more than 20 years of experience in sports entertainment and client service, Jeff joined the Fisher Cats in December of 2016. He most recently worked at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where he earned the honor of "Salesperson of the Year" in 2013.
Jeff has been working in sports since 1994, including five years in the Fisher Cats front office (2003-2008). He also spent four seasons with the Phillies Double-A affiliate in Reading, Pa. and four years as the General Manager of UNH Wildcat Sports Properties with Learfield Sports.
A graduate of Northeastern University, Jeff lives in Bedford with his family.
Andrew begins his sixth year in Minor League Baseball and fifth with the Fisher Cats in 2020. He joined the team in April of 2016 as part of the Ambassador program before being promoted to Corporate Sales and Promotions Assistant in July of that year. Andrew assumed his current role prior to the start of the 2018 campaign. In 2014, he spent a summer working with the Lowell Spinners of the New York-Penn League.
Andrew graduated from Southern New Hampshire University in 2016 with a degree in sports management, and managed the Athenian Corner, a small Greek restaurant in Lowell, Mass., from 2012-2014. He still enjoys "slinging drinks and lamb" there on weekends in the off-season.
A lifelong native of Lowell, Andrew spends his free time shooting hoops with friends, burning rubber on the virtual racetracks of America via Nascar '14 on Xbox 360 and dreaming up the latest on-field entertainment for fans at Delta Dental Stadium. He supports the New England Patriots, Boston Celtics, Boston Bruins and - for some reason - the Houston Texans, and is a proud father to his dog Ollie.
Stadium and Team Operations
Tim, a native of Barnstead, New Hampshire, has been with the Fisher Cats since 2007, when he started as the Media Relations Intern. Tim was promoted to Media Relations Assistant in 2008 and then named as a Ticket Sales Account Executive/Media Relations Assistant when he started in a full-time capacity in 2009. Following the 2009 season, Tim was named as the Box Office Manager before being promoted to Director of Box Office Operations in 2010. Most recently, Tim was promoted to the Vice President of Stadium Operations in 2015.
Hough is a 2005 graduate of Coe-Brown Northwood Academy, and then continued his education at New Hampshire Technical Institute and Southern New Hampshire University, where he earned a Bachelors Degree in Sport Management in December 2008.
Tim was a proud member of the 2010 Fisher Cats front office that was presented the 2010 Larry MacPhail Award, naming the club as the top team for promotional effort and community involvement throughout all levels of Minor League Baseball. Tim was also a member of the team that was awarded the 2009 Double-A Bob Freitas Award by Baseball America, recognizing the club for achieving long-term success in Minor League Baseball.
Tim previously worked in the sports department of the Concord Monitor and spends his free time following his favorite NBA team, the Utah Jazz.
Greg, an East Kingston native and an Exeter High School graduate, enters his third season as the FisherCats Turf Manager in 2020. When he is not at the field, Gerg enjoys longboarding, golfing, skiing, the beach, and generally just being outside.
He graduated from University of Southern Maine in 2015 with a Business Administration degree with a focus on Sports Management. During college he worked at Apple Hill Golf Club in East Kingston, where he found a passion for turf. Greg got his start in baseball as the in-game DJ for the Seacoast Mavericks of the FCBL. Deciding to pursue a career in Turf Management he worked at The International in Bolton, Mass., where he spent 2 years as an Assistant in Training before returning home to work for the hometown 'Cats.
DJ, a native of Norwich, Connecticut, joined the Fisher Cats in 2014 as the Operations Assistant before elevating to Facility Operations Manager in 2015. Previously, DJ was the Stadium Operations Assistant with the Atlantic League champion Long Island Ducks.
He graduated from UConn with a bachelor's degree in Communication Sciences. DJ's favorite teams are the Baltimore Orioles, Miami Dolphins, Liverpool FC, U.S. Mens National soccer team, and, of course, UConn Basketball.
Jennifer Egan joined the Fisher Cats in July of 2018. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an Accounting focus from Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts and brings more than 20 years of accounting and administration experience to the organization. As a CPA exam candidate with most of her tenure in the small business private sector, she carries a wealth of knowledge regarding business administration, including financial reporting, payroll, management, benefits administration, taxation, and various other functions.
Before joining the Fisher Cats, she held Controller positions in both the manufacturing and service industries.
She lives in Londonderry with her husband and their two sons, and she enjoys kickboxing, obstacle course racing in the summer, video games, and is an avid knitter.
Samantha, a native of Forestburgh, NY, joined the Fisher Cats as Merchandise Manager prior to the start of the 2018 season. 2020 marks her sixth season in Minor League Baseball after graduating from West Virginia University. Previously, Samantha worked for the Wilmington Blue Rocks and the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, both affiliates of the Kansas City Royals. When she isn't at the ballpark, she enjoys hiking, cooking, and snowboarding in the off-season.
Professional Sports Catering
Jesse is from Ellensburg, Washington. He has been in Sports and Entertainment for the last 5 years. Jesse will be entering his second season here with the Fisher Cats. He has worked at NRG Park for the Houston Texans, Minute Maid Park for the Astros and countless amphitheaters throughout the nation, including the Operations Manager at Xfinity Theater in Hartford, CT.
Jesse was also a support manager for the Retail Operation at both Super Bowl 49 in Phoenix and Super Bowl 50 in San Francisco. In his spare time, he also enjoys exploring the outdoors. Go Seahawks!