Fresno Grizzlies president Derek Franks leaving the club after 22 years

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno Grizzlies president Derek Franks is leaving the enactment aft spending 22 years with the insignificant league ballclub.

The squad announced Franks' departure successful a quality merchandise connected Wednesday afternoon.

"The past 22 years person been a imagination travel true," Franks said successful a statement. "I grew up successful this organization, and it shaped acold much than my career, it shaped my life. I met my woman due to the fact that of this job. My kids grew up astatine the ballpark. I've built friendships present successful Fresno and passim Minor League Baseball that I cognize volition past a lifetime."

Franks began his vocation with the Grizzlies arsenic a summons bureau intern earlier moving his mode to the apical of the enactment successful 2018.

During his career, Franks oversaw much than $15 cardinal successful improvements to Chukchansi Park arsenic good arsenic navigating the Minor League Baseball squad done 2 ownership transitions. "I'm incredibly grateful to Diamond Baseball Holdings for the expertise, support, and content they've brought to this organization. They've strengthened the instauration successful meaningful ways, and I permission knowing the squad is successful a large spot with a phenomenal ownership group," Franks said.

The Grizzlies besides earned 5 World Series titles by the club's Major League genitor affiliates portion Franks was successful charge.

"Derek's interaction connected the Grizzlies and the Central Valley simply cannot beryllium overstated," said Pat Battle and Peter Freund, Executive Chairman and CEO of Diamond Baseball Holdings, respectively. "Over the people of much than 2 decades, helium played a cardinal relation successful shaping the nine into a cornerstone of the community, starring with vision, creativity and an unwavering committedness to excellence. We are profoundly grateful for his dedication to the Grizzlies and the metropolis of Fresno, and we privation him thing but the champion successful his adjacent chapter."

The Grizzlies' quality merchandise hints Franks volition beryllium staying and continuing his nonrecreational vocation successful Fresno.

"I'm arrogant of what we've built, thankful for the friendships that volition past a lifetime, and excited to ticker the Grizzlies proceed to thrive successful the years ahead," said Franks.

The caller General Manager of the Fresno Grizzlies volition beryllium announced adjacent week.