WILSON, N.C. — April 4, 2024 — Rick Schlesinger, President of Business Operations for the Milwaukee Brewers, will deliver the keynote address at the 122nd annual commencement exercises of Barton College scheduled for Saturday, May 11, on center campus at 10:30 a.m.
“The College is delighted to welcome Rick Schlesinger as our featured commencement speaker in May,” shared Dr. Douglas N. Searcy, president of Barton College. “As we celebrate the City of Wilson’s bold decision to provide a new home in 2026 for the Carolina Mudcats, an officially licensed Class-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, we also look forward to introducing Barton College to Mr. Schlesinger and the Brewers professional baseball organization in the months ahead.
“One of the defining discoveries mentioned by the Brewers’ organization during its presentation to the City Council was the importance that Wilson places on people and relationships,” Dr. Searcy continued. “This quality resonated with the Milwaukee Brewers, and it certainly resonates with Barton College, as we prepare to usher our graduates into the professional world. No doubt, Mr. Schlesinger’s wealth of experience and expertise in his career and his appreciation of higher education will shape a message of strong leadership for our 2024 graduates.”
A Phi Beta Kappa graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1983, Schlesinger received his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School (cum laude) in 1986.
He spent five seasons (1998-2002) as vice president of business and legal affairs/assistant general manager for the Anaheim Angels. He previously worked for Walt Disney Pictures and Television in motion picture development and production (1993-1998) and at the Los Angeles law firm of Latham and Watkins (1986-1993).
Schlesinger now enters his 22nd season with the Brewers and his sixth season in his current position, after being promoted in January 2019. He previously held roles with the Brewers’ organization as executive vice president of business operations from 2003-2010 and as chief operating officer from 2011-2018.
He currently oversees the organization’s business operations, including finance, human resources, information technology, legal, sponsorships, marketing, ticketing, business analytics, broadcasting, communications, stadium operations, and non-baseball special events.
The Brewers have established records in nearly every aspect of the business during Schlesinger’s tenure. More than 2.5 million fans have passed through the gates of American Family Field in 13 of the past 15 seasons (excluding the 2020 and 2021 restricted capacity seasons). In that time, the organization has built a focus on the fan experience, developed new and enhanced partnerships, and completed several major development projects that benefit various stakeholders. Recent major investments in the fan experience at American Family Field include a new main scoreboard and a second digital board in right field (2024), the J. Leinenkugel’s Barrel Yard (2023) and X-Golf (2022).
Recently, Schlesinger joined elected officials in leading a successful effort to secure a generational lease extension for the Brewers at American Family Field. The new lease and associated funding to maintain and improve the ballpark ensures that American Family Field will be home to the Brewers through at least 2050.
A native of Bayside, Wis., Schlesinger currently resides in Hartland, Wis., with his wife, Kate. They have five children, Bradley, Sam, Caitlin, Molly, and Mathieu.
END