Somerset Patriots And Spearhead Staffing Announce Kid CEO Finalists

Bridgewater, NJ- The Somerset Patriots and Spearhead Staffing have announced the five finalists for the 2018 Kid CEO position.

Jimmy Marvits (Hillsborough), Nick Morgan (Piscataway), Darla Rudnicki (High Bridge), Reina Schumann (Flemington), and Simrah Shah (Warren) have been selected for the final interview to be held on the field at TD Bank Ballpark before the Thursday, June 28th game. Game time is scheduled for 7:05 pm.

The finalists, who interviewed at the team’s annual Fan Fest on April 14th, range from 10 to 14 years of age.

“When we went through and interviewed this year’s group of candidates, I recall thinking to myself that the bar continues to be raised more every year,” said Spearhead Staffing President Doug Bryson. “The number of well-rounded candidates applying that are not just great students, but also participants in challenging after school activities and interests was impressive.”

Marvits is currently a 7th grader at Hillsborough Middle School. He is the patrol leader of Boy Scout Troop 489 that is working to be an Eagle Scout. Jimmy feels he’d be a good Kid CEO because he works very hard and could come up with a lot of fun ideas to use at the ballpark.

Morgan is an eighth grader at Conackamack Middle School in Piscataway where he is a straight A student in all honors classes. Baseball is his passion and hopes to one day work in the industry, particularly as a broadcaster. He feels that being chosen as Kid CEO would be a great introduction to how the ballpark operates behind the scenes.

Both Marvits and Morgan were finalists in the promotion last season and were very close to being hired for the position.

“I was pleased to see a number of candidates return for another shot at this great opportunity and was excited that two of them made it back into the pool of finalists,” Bryson said.

Rudnicki is an honor roll student at High Bridge Middle School, where she is a member of the drama club, chorus, band, cheer and student counsel. While Rudnicki enjoys the entertainment side of baseball and all things sports, she also has a great curiosity for the business and management end of the game.

Schumann is a 5th grader at Reading Fleming Intermediate School. One of the things she loves about baseball is that no matter if your team wins or loses, it is fun to watch or play. When she isn’t at the ballpark, she loves to sing and perform.

Shah is a sixth grader at Far Hills Day School and loves designing, creating, taking notes, and reporting. She likes to travel with her family and has gone to India several times. Her favorite subjects at school are art, music, athletics and history.

“It was very encouraging to see an increase in the number of female candidates this season. I believe last year’s winner Skylar inspired more girls to come out and give it a shot,” Bryson added.

As the Kid CEO, the young fan will follow front office staff members during the games to learn about ticketing, merchandising, promotions, media, marketing, and ballpark operations. The Kid CEO will sit in on Patriots staff meetings and write about the experiences he/she has in the position. The Kid CEO will also receive a personalized Somerset Patriots jersey, tickets to five games, a ceremonial first pitch for a game, and a meet and greet with Sparky Lyle and the players. This is the eighth time that the team will name a Kid CEO.

“We are excited to see how our finalists do with their on field interview on June 28th,” said Patrick McVerry, President and General Manager of the Somerset Patriots. “It is truly an impressive group of kids that have a passion for learning and experiencing what it takes to run a baseball team. We’d be lucky to have any one of them hired as our Kid CEO and know it is going to be a very difficult choice to make.”

Spearhead Staffing is Somerset County’s award-winning IT staffing and recruiting company specializing in the Life Sciences, Financial Services, Hospital and Healthcare industries. Spearhead Staffing consistently sources technology professionals that combine years of technical experience with industry knowledge and certified training. Utilizing their proven RightHire Recruiting Process, Spearhead Staffing reduces the risk associated with hiring by identifying the best person to match each company’s culture and environment.

The 2018 Somerset Patriots Season presented by Ford is underway and features the team’s 20th Season at TD Bank Ballpark. For tickets, visit www.somersetpatriots.com

About The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)
The Atlantic League has been a leader in professional baseball and a gateway to Major League Baseball since 1998. Over 38 million fans have attended Atlantic League games and more than 900 players and 50 managers and coaches have joined MLB organizations directly from the ALPB. The Atlantic League emphasizes winning baseball games, showcasing the talent of top-caliber players and offering affordable family entertainment.

For more information, please visit www.atlanticleague.com.