In partnership with the Puget Sound Business Journal, Nyhus Communications recently welcomed to Seattle the incoming general manager of the Seattle Mariners, Jerry Dipoto.

Hosted over lunch at the Diamond Club at Safeco Field, the event included a question and answer session with Dipoto, giving top executives from our region’s thriving business community an opportunity to meet the new leader of the M’s and glean some lessons from the dugout.

Puget Sound Business Journal publisher Emory Thomas and Roger Nyhus, president and CEO of Nyhus Communications, sponsored the event. Following a welcome by Nyhus, Thomas guided an onstage back-and-forth discussion with Dipoto that covered a range of topics, including leadership strategies and Dipoto’s goals for the upcoming season.

“I’m a fan of big data,” said Dipoto, who uses analytics to make informed decisions in his job every day. Dipoto acknowledged that he manages information as much as he manages people and praised data as an effective tool that helps him communicate the facts supporting his decisions.

On leadership, Dipoto believes authenticity and resilience are two of a leader’s most important traits. He emphasized the importance of giving back to the community, believing a leader’s first task is to set a strong example for others to follow.

Dipoto was named the Mariners executive vice president and general manager of baseball operations in September, 2015. A former major league pitcher, Dipoto has 15 years of front-office experience, having worked for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Angels and Boston Red Sox.

The Mariners’ season kicks off April 4 against the Texas Rangers. Safeco Field’s Opening Day will take place April 8 vs the Oakland A’s.

Welcome to Seattle, Jerry! We are excited to have such a talented individual working for the front office, and we can’t wait to cheer on the promising group of players he will be putting on the field this spring.