One of Jim Crane's first leadership hires is leaving after 14 years with Astros

· Yahoo Sports

One of Jim Crane's first leadership hires as owner of the Houston Astros will move on to a new role halfway across the country after 14 years with the organization.  (G Fiume/Getty Images)

One of the longest-tenured members of the Houston Astros leadership will be taking his talents to the East Coast to try out a new professional sport. 

Visit mchezo.co.za for more information.

On Monday afternoon, the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins announced the appointment of Marcel Braithwaite as the team's new President of Business Operations.

Braithwaite has been promoted to the new role after 14 years with the Houston Astros. He notably served as the Senior Vice President of Business Operations and was one of the initial hires under the Jim Crane-led baseball organization. 

"It's an honor to join the Penguins at such an exciting time under new ownership," said Braithwaite. "I am grateful to the Astros and look forward to serving the employees, fans and city of Pittsburgh by bringing a winning culture to this franchise alongside Geoff, Kyle and the rest of this talented Front Office."

What Braithwaite accomplished during 14 years in Houston

As a member of the Astros' Executive leadership team, Braithwaite guided the franchise through several ballpark renovations, security upgrades and naming rights negotiations, ensuring the business maximized revenue opportunities while providing a best-in-class fan experience.

Braithwaite also directed the development and operations of the Astros Spring Training complex at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Florida, ensuring all public and private stakeholders were served well. Braithwaite experienced winning two World Series titles and seven divisional titles with the Astros. 

The Astros did not respond to comment as to who will oversee Braithwaite's responsibilities going forward as of Monday afternoon. 

"I am very happy to welcome Marcel to this iconic franchise," said Geoff Hoffmann, Chairman and Team Governor. "He's a results-driven executive that has led through a variety of projects from fan engagement to real estate development. Marcel will be joining a talented, dedicated and hard-working team across the Penguins and PPG Paints Arena and I am confident he will help us reach new heights as an organization."

What Braithwaite will oversee with the Penguins

The first order of business for Braithwaite will be similar to what he was asked to do at Daikin Park, namely to find ways to upgrade PPG Paints Arena-the home of the Penguins-including new sponsorship opportunities and business development around the arena itself.

"They've got a ton of experience and certainly the motivation behind them, which I think is going to be really beneficial to the city of Pittsburgh from a tax base increase from a resurgence of downtown and the opportunity to bring more fans to come to the games and the other events that we host at PPG," Braithwaite said. "It should be a year-round crown jewel for the citizens of Pittsburgh."

Braithwaite was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and is an alumnus of Missouri State University, the same school Crane attended. He is fluent in Dutch and has lived in several locations across North America and Europe, including Canada, Seattle, and Southern California, before finally settling in Texas. Braithwaite and his wife plan to relocate to the Pittsburgh area at the beginning of the 2026-27 season.

More Sports

Controversy | Good Good Golf's empire unravels after viral ad sparks outrage
Best Dressed | Texans turn Houston street signs into their best uniform yet
Oof  | Jaxon Shipley's fantasy football failure becomes hometown spectacle
Changes | Jim Crane's Astros shake-up may not stop with Dana Brown

Catch up on Texas sports, sign up for the Launch Pad newsletter here. 

This article originally published at One of Jim Crane's first leadership hires is leaving after 14 years with Astros.

Read full story at source