Rob Zerjav

Background

About Rob Zerjav

A native of Green Bay, Wisconsin, Rob received his bachelor's degree in Marketing from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He began his career with the Timber Rattlers as an unpaid intern before joining the full-time staff as a group sales representative. After two years in group ticket sales, Rob was promoted to Director of Baseball Operations and then to Vice President of Baseball Operations. Following the 2002 season, he was promoted to Team President and General Manager. In 2020, with the uncertainty surrounding Minor League Baseball and the pandemic canceling the season, Rob, along with his business partners Craig Dickman and Brad Raaths, purchased the team and the stadium, creating the first private ownership group in Appleton baseball club history. Rob currently serves as the Timber Rattlers President/CEO and Managing Partner. Under Rob’s leadership, the Timber Rattlers have been recognized multiple times for their achievements. In 2012, the team was named the Fox Valley Small Business of the Year by the Appleton Post-Crescent and received Minor League Baseball’s highest achievement for promotional excellence, the Larry MacPhail Award. The team received the Midwest League President's Award in 2005, 2018, and 2019 and was recognized four times – in 2012, 2015, 2016, and 2017 – by the Midwest League for promotional excellence. In 2019, the Timber Rattlers were awarded two Minor League Baseball Golden Bobbleheads for Theme Night of the Year as well as Promotion of the Year. Also in 2019, the team was named to the inaugural list of Top 50 best employers in all of sports by Front Office Sports, the only Minor League team to do so. In 2020, the team received Insight Magazine's Innovation Award for Marketing. In 2022, the team received Baseball America's Single 'A' Freitas Award which recognizes organizations for consistent operational excellence, community involvement, and long-term business success. In 2023, the home of the Timber Rattlers was named Ballpark of the Year by Ballpark Digest. Rob has been recognized as UW-Whitewater's Outstanding Recent Alumni in 2004, Midwest League Executive of the Year three times – in 2007, 2012, and 2018, and Minor League Baseball Executive of the Year by Baseball America in 2023. Rob was also instrumental in bringing a Northwoods League baseball team to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin in 2017, the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders. The team has won league titles in both 2018 and 2020. Rob resides in De Pere, Wisconsin with his wife, Nikki, and their sons Cooper and Davis.