Mariners name Kevin Martinez as president of business operations

The Seattle Mariners announced Friday that they have named Kevin Martinez as their new president of business operations.

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Martinez has spent the past 34 seasons with the Mariners, including the past seven as the organization’s senior vice president of marketing and communications.

Martinez replaces Catie Griggs, who resigned on July 5 to become the Baltimore Orioles’ president of business operations. Griggs, a North Carolina native, left the Mariners to move closer to her family on the East Coast, according to a press release.

Mariners chairman and managing partner John Stanton held the role in the interim.

“Over the course of our search, Kevin set himself apart with his creativity, his vision and his passion for our team and our organization,” Stanton said in a press release. “I had the opportunity, along with Jeff Raikes (a member of the Mariners’ ownership group), to talk to outstanding candidates from both outside and within our front office. Kevin emerged as the best choice from a tremendously talented group.”

Martinez has played a key hand in shaping the Mariners’ brand since joining the organization in 1990. He has overseen marketing, advertising, social media, digital content creation, research, in-park entertainment and special events. He also has directed the club’s communications departments – including broadcasting, baseball and brand communications.

In addition to Martinez’s most recent role, he has been the organization’s vice president of marketing, the director of marketing, the director of promotions and the promotions manager.

“When I joined this organization 34 years ago, I was a long way from Edison, New Jersey, where I grew up,” Martinez said in a press release. “But very quickly, Seattle and this team became home to me. And it was all about the people, both at the Mariners and in this community.

“I believe our team is on the doorstep of our greatest moments and achievements, and my focus is working with the talented people within our organization to reach those heights on behalf of all of our fans.”

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