Who is Caroline O'Connor? Miami Marlins becomes FIRST US sports franchise to appoint women as head
After the appointment of Caroline O'Connor as the president of business operations, the Miami Marlins became the first major sports organization in the United States to have two women acting as the face of its front office.
O'Connor's appointment comes two years after the Marlins hired Kim Ng as General Manager for the first time in November 2020. O'Connor spoke following Monday's announcement, "When I talk to young girls, I really like them to see me in my role because I didn't feel like I had that role model, and I want people to see themselves when they see me and know that is a possibility."
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O'Connor is only the second woman to lead an MLB franchise as president. The other is Catie Griggs from Seattle. O'Connor joined the Marlins in 2017 as a senior vice president and chief of staff, thanks to former CEO Derek Jeter. In 2019, he was promoted to the position of chief operating officer. Now, O'Connor will manage the off-field business while Ng manages the on-field business.
Daily Mail reported that "We are fortunate to have someone with Caroline's business acumen and vision leading our day-to-day business operations," Marlins chairman and principal owner Bruce Sherman said. "Her passion and drive for success are unmatched in our game and the South Florida market," he further said. "Her leadership will continue to guide the Marlins organization toward our goal of sustained success while strategizing additional new ventures to grow our business and enhance our brand recognition," Sherman added.
Daily Mail reported that O'Connor's journey into history wasn't on purpose. She competed in basketball, tennis, soccer, softball, and other sports at high school in New Jersey before attending Rutgers and New York University to study finance and then computers. She held positions with prestigious companies like IBM, Morgan Stanley, and UBS Investment Bank. She wasn't considering a career in athletics at the time. Jeter then made a call.
"A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," O'Connor declared. Since then, she has been a Marlin. For the better part of the last twenty years, Miami has been attempting to change things both on and off the field. Jeter was a member of the ownership group that assumed control in 2017. He is no longer there, but two of his most important appointments, Ng and O'Connor, are now in charge of completing the mission, Daily Mail reported.
O'Connor is aware of the increasing influence of women in baseball leadership. Griggs is the manager of the Mariners. In Minnesota, Laura Day serves as executive vice president and chief business officer. In Texas, Kellie Fischer serves as executive vice president and chief financial officer of the Rangers.