Derrick Hall

Derrick Hall
Born	Los Angeles, California
Residence	Paradise Valley, Arizona
Alma mater	Arizona State University, Ohio University, University of Phoenix (Honorary Doctorate)
Occupation	President and CEO of the Arizona Diamondbacks
Awards	Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Torch of Liberty Award, USC Institute of Urology's Louis Zamperini Courage Award, 1991 Arizona State University "Man of the Year", ASU Walter Cronkite School Alumni Hall of Fame, Ohio University's Charles R. Higgins Distinguished Alumnus Award, ASU Young Alumni Achievement Award, Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, SportsBusiness Journal "Forty Under 40"

Derrick Hall is the current Arizona Diamondbacks President & CEO.

A native of Los Angeles, Hall joined the D-backs in May 2005 as Senior Vice President, Communications and served in numerous capacities prior to being named president in September 2006 and adding the title of CEO in January 2009. Hall focuses the organization's efforts in five areas he has called the "Circle of Success" - fan experience, performance, community, culture and financial efficiency - each of which has seen tremendous growth during his tenure.

Hall received a bachelor's degree from Arizona State University in broadcasting and journalism and a master's degree from Ohio University in sports administration.

Early Career

Prior to joining the D-backs, Hall made a brief stop as Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications for a Fortune 500 company based in Los Angeles, where he increased brand awareness. He spent parts of 12 seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, joining the organization's Single-A Florida State League affiliate in Vero Beach, Fla., as an intern in 1992 and departing as the club's Senior Vice President, Communications in 2004. In between, he served key roles during three ownership changes with the Dodgers and was recognized for reuniting Fernando Valenzuela with the organization after hiring him as a color analyst for the team's Spanish radio broadcasts in 2003.

Hall stepped outside of baseball for employment during the 1999 season, as he hosted a three-hour morning talk show on the Dodgers' flagship station (XTRA 1150 AM) and served as host of the "Dodger Game Day" pregame radio show when the team played at Dodger Stadium. He also had a stint in front of the camera as a weekend sports anchor at KNBC-TV (Ch. 4) in Los Angeles.

Diamondbacks under Hall

The unique corporate culture of the D-backs, which was created by Hall, led Yahoo! to deem the club as "the best workplace in sports." In 2013, the sports industry's highly regarded recruiting network TeamWork Online tabbed him as the "Best Boss" in sports and the organization was named the "Most Admired Company for Workplace Culture" by AzBusiness magazine and BestCompaniesAZ. Fittingly, the D-backs' physical front office was rebranded the D-backs Culture & Innovation Center in 2013. In 2015, the D-backs were rated No. 1 on Ranking Arizona's list of Best Places to Work among small businesses.

The success of the franchise during Hall's tenure has led to numerous honors, including ESPN the Magazine tabbing the D-backs as the top Major League franchise in 2013 and sixth overall among the 122 professional sports franchises in the publication's Ultimate Standings, which is based on eight categories on and off the field. Also, in 2010, the D-backs were given the inaugural United Nations NGO Positive Peace Award, which named the D-backs the most positive team in the world. The award honors and recognizes organizations positively impacting their communities through corporate responsibility.

Stadium enhancements at Chase Field that have taken place under Hall's guidance include the APS solar shade structure and Game 7 Grill in the plaza area, new HD scoreboard in center field, the Sandlot on the upper level, the Miller Lite Diamond Club, All-You-Can-Eat Seats on the Insight Diamond level and value-item pricing at concession stands and Team Shop locations throughout the ballpark as well as the newly renovated merchandise and concessions experience in 2015. Hall also installed, named and created a FAWTSY (Find A Way To Say Yes) customer service policy throughout the organization to further improve upon the extraordinary fan experience, as Arizona Foothills Magazine tabbed Chase Field as the Best Sports Venue in Phoenix in 2014. Last year marked the eighth consecutive season that the team offered the lowest Fan Cost Index in Major League Baseball.

In 2011, the team hosted the Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Chase Field for the first time ever. The unveiling of Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, the D-backs' 140-acre Spring Training facility shared with the Colorado Rockies on Salt River Indian Community land near Scottsdale, Ariz., that Hall negotiated and designed, has greatly added to the already $350 million of economic impact for the Valley associated with Spring Training each year. The facility received LEED-Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council in 2011, the first venue of its kind to achieve this designation.

Community Giving

In 2014, the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation and the D-backs' organization surpassed the $41 million mark in charitable giving since their inception in 1998, including nearly than $30 million in the past nine years under Hall's direction. In 2014, the team launched the D-backs Give Back Jersey program which will outfit more than 35,000 youth players across 60 leagues this season. During the 2013 Yarnell Hill fire, the D-backs were able to give back more than $700,000 on behalf of their fans to the families of the 19 firefighters who lost their lives. In 2008, Hall established the Michael Wogan Season Ticket Scholarship Program, a first-of-its-kind program for fans or existing season ticket holders who may have experienced a change in circumstances, providing families with more than 362 full-season tickets for a value of more than $635,000 since its inception.

His philanthropic efforts led to Hall being named the APS Peacemaker Award at Valle del Sol's Profiles of Success, the Bill Shover Leadership Award from United Blood Services and the Phoenix Award by the Phoenix Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) in 2013. He was the inaugural recipient of the Goldwater Community Service Award in 2012 by the Active 20-30 Club of Phoenix. In 2007, he was named to the Phoenix Business Journal's "Forty Under 40" class, was the recipient of the "Community Lifeline Award" from Teen Lifeline and was named the Phoenix Father's Day Council "Father of the Year" to benefit the American Diabetes Association. The SportsBusiness Journal added him to its prestigious "Forty Under 40" class in 2008. The Phoenix Business Journal also named Hall to its inaugural list of "Most Admired CEOs" in 2009.

Committees and Boards

Hall sits on Major League Baseball's International Committee and under his guidance, the D-backs hosted the first round of the 2013, World Baseball Classic. Hall has represented the team on goodwill trips to Mexico, Japan, the Dominican Republic, Australia and New Zealand, helping to bring international recognition to the franchise. In 2014, his continued efforts to showcase the D-backs on global stage reached its highest point, as the club hosted the Dodgers during MLB's historic Opening Series in Sydney, Australia.

Hall also serves on MLB's diversity committee and the Commissioner's on-field diversity task force. The team was named to the 2014 Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's Million Dollar Circle of Excellence as an organization that spends more than $1 million annually with minority or women-owned businesses. In 2014, the D-backs became the first MLB organization to sign One Community's Unity Pledge which supports and advocates for workplace inclusion and protection for all, including LGBT community members. For his commitment to equality, Hall received the prestigious Torch of Liberty Award from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) in 2014. The award, ADL's highest honor, was established to recognize individuals who have exhibited extraordinary humanitarianism, and whose everyday actions exemplify the principles of opportunity, anti-discrimination, equal rights, community involvement and fairness for all.

Hall currently serves on or is associated with 25 boards. Hall served as master of ceremonies at the 2015 Arizona inaugural ceremonies and gives numerous keynote speeches to various groups or conventions throughout the country about his unique vision on leadership, customer service and culture. He has spoken to U.S. Air Force Academy cadets at the annual National Leadership and Character Symposium. He donates all speaking engagement fees back to the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation and other local non-profit organizations he supports.

Pro-State Foundation

During the 2011 baseball season, Hall was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Hall has been in remission after successful surgery and indications that the cancer had not spread. In a 2013 interview Hall said about having cancer, "It certainly makes you appreciate life. You realize how important family members are. I really cherish each and every day with my wife and kids. It has changed me. No doubt. Having cancer wakes you up. It forces you to live a happier lifestyle, but it also forces you to enjoy each and every day and count your blessings." Hall also said that it's his "mission now to drive awareness, spread the word and hopefully stress the importance of people being screened and tested."

Following successful surgery to remove his prostate, Hall is now cancer free and has become a tireless advocate of cancer-fighting charities while continuing to speak publicly about the health challenge he faces. In 2014, he launched his own 501(c)(3) organization, the Derrick Hall Pro-State Foundation, which is dedicated to serving as a comprehensive tool for those who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer and their families to help them understand the challenges and choices they face and how they can maintain a "pro" state of mind. In 2014, he was honored with the USC Institute of Urology's Louis Zamperini Courage Award and the Pro-State Foundation was honored by Jane Seymour's Open Hearts Foundation, which supports organizations that are committed to positively impacting lives in the areas of health, education, arts and sports. www.pro-state.org

Personal Life

Hall and his wife, Amy, reside in Paradise Valley with two of their three children, Hayden and Kylie. Their oldest son, Logan, attends Pepperdine University where he is a member of the tennis team.

References

Preceded by Rich Dozer

Arizona Diamondbacks President 2006–present

Succeeded by incumbent