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Jimmie Lee Solomon, who has served Major League Baseball in a variety of operational capacities since 1991, is MLB's Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations. He was named to the position by Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig on June 1, 2005.

Prior to this assignment, Solomon was MLB's Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations for five years, overseeing Major League, Minor League and International Baseball Operations, the Major League Scouting Bureau, the Arizona Fall League and numerous special projects. As Executive VP of Baseball Operations, Solomon is responsible for such additional areas as on-field discipline and security and facility management and is a member of baseball's Playing Rules Committee. He reports to MLB President and Chief Operating Officer Bob DuPuy.

Solomon has overseen the launches of several important MLB initiatives, including the 2006 opening of the MLB Urban Youth Academy at Compton College in California and such annual events as the MLB Umpire Camps in 2006, the Civil Rights Game in 2007 and the 2008 debut of the annual MLB Urban Invitational, a college baseball tournament that featured UCLA, USC, Bethune-Cookman and Southern University. In 2008, when Commissioner Selig decided to implement limited instant replay for the first time, Solomon oversaw the development of the system prior to its successful launch in August.

Solomon, who has a Bachelor of Arts from Dartmouth College and a law degree from Harvard, joined Major League Baseball in 1991 as Director of Minor League Operations. He subsequently was promoted to Executive Director of Minor League Operations and then to Senior VP of Baseball Operations. As Major League Baseball's principal conduit to the Minor Leagues, Solomon negotiated two landmark agreements with the National Association. The first, a 10-year, $170 million agreement in 1997, revitalized the relationship between the two organizations. In 2005, he negotiated an agreement that replaced the 1997 contract with one that provides MLB an economic benefit that amounts to more than $200 million over 10 years.

Prior to joining Major League Baseball, Solomon was a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of the Baker & Hostetler law firm. During his 10 years with the firm, he represented and provided counsel to a combination of corporate and sports industry clients.

Mike Port was named Major League Baseball's Vice President of Umpiring by Executive Vice President Jimmie Lee Solomon on August 1, 2005.

Port joined Major League Baseball after being a member of the front office of the Boston Red Sox since February 1993. He joined the Red Sox as assistant general manager and was given the additional title of Vice President of Baseball Operations in October 1996. On February 28, 2002, Port was named the interim general manager of the Red Sox, who posted a 93-69 season that year.

A native of southern California, Port's baseball career began when he was signed as an undrafted amateur free agent second baseman by the San Diego Padres in August 1968. After sustaining an arm injury in 1969, Port was hired as the general manager of San Diego's Florida State League club in Key West. He went on to serve as the GM of Lodi of the California League in 1970-71 before joining the front office of the Padres in 1972, first as promotions director and then, in 1973, as the club's minor league director. Port joined the California Angels in the same capacity in 1978. He was promoted to Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer in January 1980 and succeeded Buzzie Bavasi as the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Angels on September 1, 1984. Port's club won the 1986 American League West Division. After leaving the Angels in late 1991, Mike became president of the Arizona Fall League before its launch in 1992.

Port was the recipient of the Boston Baseball Writers annual "Good Guy Award" in January 2000 and was saluted by the Arizona Fall League with the 2002 Roland Hemond Award. In 2003, he was honored by Topps at the Major League Farm and Scouting Directors Meeting with its annual "Advancement in Baseball Award."

Rich Garcia joined Major League Baseball in 2002 as an Umpire Supervisor after spending 25 seasons as a Major League umpire. In his current position, Garcia serves as a liaison between Major League Baseball and the Major League umpires.

During his tenure as a Major League umpire, Garcia worked two All-Star Games (1980, 1992), three Division Series (1995, 1997-98), five League Championship Series (1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1996) and four World Series (1981, 1984, 1989, 1998). Garcia worked in the Florida Instructional, Florida State, Southern, International, and Dominican Winter Leagues prior to joining the American League staff in 1975. Garcia, who played baseball for three years as a U.S. Marine, has instructed at various umpire schools for several years and also conducted offseason umpiring clinics.

In 2008, the Arizona Fall League honored Garcia with the Roland Hemond Award, presented annually to recognize a baseball executive who has provided outstanding service to professional baseball and has served the Arizona Fall League in a key leadership capacity. Garcia has been instrumental in the development and evaluation of umpires in the Arizona Fall League.

Garcia was born in Key West, FL and currently resides in Clearwater, FL. He and his wife Sheryl have four children and six grandchildren.

Cris Jones joined Major League Baseball as an Umpire Supervisor in 2005. In addition to evaluating games at the Major League level, he serves as the Umpiring Department's Triple-A Coordinator, assigning call-up umpires, overseeing and staffing the Arizona Fall League and assigning Spring Training Invitees. Cris also is part of the core staff for MLB's Umpire Camps as curriculum coordinator and heads the scholarship program.

The 2009 seasons marks the 23rd year in professional baseball for Cris. He umpired in the Gulf Coast League, Midwest League, Texas League and the American Association. Upon leaving the field in 1997, Jones became an Umpire Supervisor with MLB Umpire Development Program, which reorganized in 1998 as the Professional Baseball Umpire Corporation.

Cris played college basketball for Lincoln College and Quincy College in Illinois. He resides in Colorado.

Jim McKean joined Major League Baseball as an Umpire Supervisor in July 2002. He debuted as a Major League umpire in September 1973 and continued in that capacity until retiring at the All-Star break in 2002 to begin his new position. In his current position, McKean serves as a liaison between MLB and the Major League umpires.

During his Major League career, McKean worked three All-Star Games (1980, 1982, 1993) and three World Series (1979, 1985, 1995). He also called five League Championship Series and three Division Series. Previously, McKean worked in the Florida State (1970), Florida Instructional (1970), Eastern (1971), Puerto Rico Winter (1971) and International (1972-73) Leagues prior to joining the American League staff in 1973.

McKean, a 1966 graduate of Concordia University with a degree in education, played quarterback for Saskatchewan in the Canadian Football League from 1963-69. He was named Rookie of the Year in 1963 and led the team to the Grey Cup title in 1966. On June 26, 2004, McKean was among four new inductees into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Mary's, Ontario.

A native of Montreal, Quebec, McKean graduated from Monklands High School, where he won the Principal's Award as the High School Athlete of the Year. McKean has worked with the Holy Family Church Auction, Police Athletic League, Make-a-Wish Foundation and various children's hospitals. McKean resides in St. Petersburg, FL. He has two sons, James Scott and Brett George.

Steve Palermo joined Major League Baseball in 2000 as an Umpire Supervisor. In his current position, Palermo serves as a liaison between Major League Baseball and the Major League umpires.

Palermo previously was hired by MLB as a Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Major League Executive Council on April 6, 1994. He handled special projects, one of which was studying the length of games. Palermo was part of the first joint committee on training and collaborated on the first Major League Umpire Manual.

During his tenure as an American League umpire from 1977-1992, Palermo worked the 1983 World Series and the 1986 All-Star Game in Houston. He also umpired four American League Championship Series (1980, 1982, 1984 and 1989). Palermo was the third base umpire for the New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox A.L. East tie-breaker game on October 2, 1978 at Fenway Park. Five years later, he was behind the plate for Dave Righetti's no-hitter on the Fourth of July at Yankee Stadium.

After attending the Umpire Development Program, Palermo worked in the American Association, New York-Penn League, Carolina League, Eastern League, Florida Instructional League, Dominican Winter League and Puerto Rican Winter League prior to joining the American League staff in 1977.

Palermo's on-field umpiring career was abbreviated on July 6, 1991, when he was shot in the back while coming to the aid of a robbery victim in the parking lot of a Dallas restaurant.

In July 2005, Palermo served as honorary commissioner at The White House Tee Ball game on the South Lawn, featuring children with physical disabilities. The program was launched by President George W. Bush in 2001 to promote a spirit of teamwork and service for America's youth. Other baseball figures to have served as honorary commissioner include Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr. and Barry Larkin.

A native of Worcester, Massachusetts, Palermo studied education at Norwich University, Leicester Junior College and Worcester State College. Palermo resides in Overland Park, KS with his wife, Debbie.

Rich Rieker joined Major League Baseball in 2002 as an Umpire Supervisor after spending nine seasons as a Major League umpire. In his current position, Rieker serves as a liaison between Major League Baseball and the Major League umpires.

In 2006, Rich was responsible for the development of the inaugural Major League Baseball Umpire Camps (www.MLBUC.com), based at MLB's Urban Youth Academy in California. He continues to serve as the coordinator of the Camps, which resulted from a joint effort by MLB, the World Umpires Association, the Professional Baseball Umpire Corporation, the Jim Evans Academy of Professional Umpiring and the Wendelstedt Umpire School. In March 2009, MLB collaborated with the San Diego Padres to organize the Umpire Camp for Marines, which trained more than 100 Marines and was featured on the FOX News Channel. Rieker also was responsible for the coordination of the training and assignments of both Major League and international umpires for the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

Rieker developed and managed the production of the "Virtual Umpire Camp" CD-ROM, a first-of-its-kind product that illustrates the proper mechanics for two-umpire, three-umpire and four-umpire crews with umpiring signals in 3-D. The disk, produced in conjunction with the Professional Baseball Umpire Corporation and Immersion Media, is utilized by all professional umpires and is currently in distribution worldwide.

Rieker worked in the Midwest (1983-85), Eastern (1985-86), American Association (1986-95) and Dominican Winter (1987-88) Leagues prior to joining the National League staff in 1996. During his tenure as a Major League umpire, Rieker worked one All-Star Game (1998) and two Division Series (1999-2000). He also was an instructor at the Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School for 16 years.

A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Rieker graduated from the University of Missouri-St. Louis in 1984 with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration & Marketing. Rieker, 47, resides in Orlando, FL with his wife, Kathleen. He has two children, Jacob and Michael.

Marty Springstead joined Major League Baseball as Umpire Supervisor in 2000 after serving the previous 15 years as the Executive Director of Umpires for the American League.

Springstead began his professional umpiring career in 1960 in the Class "C" Northern League. He also worked U.S. Army Baseball games in Fort Hood, TX (1961-62) and in the Southern League (1963-65) before becoming a member of the American League staff in 1966. During his 20-year Major League career, Springstead umpired in three All-Star Games (1969, 1975, 1982) and three World Series (1973, 1978, 1983). A crew chief for 11 years, Springstead also officiated five American League Championship Series (1970, 1974, 1977, 1981, 1984). He also had the distinction of working behind the plate for two no-hitters before he retired following the 1985 season.

A distinguished guest speaker, Springstead has taught and lectured throughout the world. He has held clinics in Japan, where he instructed the Japanese Professional Umpires of the Pacific League, and has also taught in various Canadian provinces and for the United States Air Force in Spain, Holland and Germany.

Springstead, who was just the fourth person ever to hold the position of Executive Director of Umpires for the American League, attended Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, NJ, majoring in advertising. He now resides in Sarasota, FL.

A veteran of more than 23 years of Major League umpiring, Larry Young enters his second season as one of Major League Baseball's Umpire Supervisors, in which he serves as a liaison to MLB's active umpires.

Young joined the Major League staff in 1985. He worked two All-Star Games (1991, 2003), six Division Series, three League Championship Series and two World Series (1996, 2003). Prior to his Major League career, Young worked at the Minor League level from 1978-1982.

Young also serves as an adviser to the sport's Playing Rules Committee, which is charged with voting to amend the Official Baseball Rules. He was the first umpire ever to be a part of the Committee. Larry often has helped articulate and instruct his fellow umpires on the rules changes enacted by the Playing Rules Committee. Young also has worked as an instructor at each of the first two Major League Baseball Umpire Camps held annually at MLB's Urban Youth Academy in Compton, California.

Young graduated from Northern Illinois University in 1976 with a B.A. in Education. He is President of Larry Young and Friends Charities, which raises money for various organizations like Special Olympics, Hospice and the American Heart Association. Larry has been the recipient of the JC Penny Golden Rule Award, the Special Olympics Volunteer of the Year, Florida Diamond Club Umpire of the Year, the Goodwill Abilities Center Distinguished Service Award and the 2002 Gold Whistle Award, presented by the National Association of Sports Officials.

Young, 55, and his wife Joan have two children, Jessica and Darcy.

Bruce Froemming joined Major League Baseball's Umpiring Department in 2008 as Special Assistant to the Vice President. In this role, Froemming will work on various projects on behalf of MLB Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Jimmie Lee Solomon and Vice President of Umpiring Mike Port, focusing in particular on the training and instruction of young umpires.

In 2007, Froemming completed his 37th year of Major League service, attaining the longest period of consecutive years of service by an active umpire in baseball history. He surpassed Hall of Famer Bill Klem to gain the mark for longevity. The record was celebrated on April 16, 2007 at Minute Maid Park in Houston, with Solomon and Port in attendance. Later in the 2007 season, Bruce served as the crew chief at the All-Star Game in San Francisco and then led the crew that called the Yankees-Indians American League Division Series. (Froemming's equipment from his 5,000th game is on display at the Hall of Fame. The Boston Red Sox honored Bruce before his 5,000th game on August 16, 2006.)

Froemming's 111 career postseason games worked are the most in baseball history, and his total of 5,162 Major League games worked ranks second to Klem's 5,369. Froemming and Klem are the only umpires in history to work over 5,000 Major League games. Overall, Bruce worked three All-Star Games, nine Division Series (a record), 10 League Championship Series and five World Series (1976, 1984, 1988, 1990 and 1995).

The Milwaukee native is married to Rose Marie with two sons, Kevin and Steve, and two grandsons, Nicolas and Christopher. Bruce now resides in Florida.

Tom Lepperd, currently in his 35th year in professional baseball, joined Major League Baseball in 2000 after serving the previous two seasons as the assistant to Paul Runge, the National League's Director of Umpires.

In his current position, Lepperd is responsible for administering day-to-day umpire operations and for facilitating communication between Major League Baseball's Umpire Operations, the Major League umpires and Minor League Baseball. He also assists in the schedule of umpire assignments and maintains current records of umpire information and game events.

Lepperd graduated number one in his class from the Bill Kinnamon Umpire School in February 1975 and was assigned to the Midwest League for that season. After working in the Midwest League (1975-76), Lepperd umpired in the Eastern League (1976-77) and American Association (1978-86). He was assigned to work in American League Spring Training games from 1983-86 and also served as a fill-in in AL regular season games (1984-86) before joining the Umpire Development Program as a supervisor in 1987, where he stayed until joining the National League in 1998. He was also a part of the first joint committee on training and helped to collaborate the first-ever Major League Umpire Manual.

Lepperd graduated from the University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana) with highest university honors and a B.S. in Teaching of Mathematics in 1972. Prior to attending the Kinnamon Umpire School, Lepperd taught mathematics at Evanston Township High School in Evanston, IL for three years.

A native of Rochelle, Illinois, Lepperd resides in West Des Moines, Iowa, with his wife, Susan, and two children, Kelsey and Zachary.

Mark A. Letendre was selected by the Baseball Office of the Commissioner to develop and oversee the first comprehensive athletic health care program for the 68 Major League umpires on October 15, 1999.

Letendre served as a Major League Baseball athletic trainer for 18 years with the San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees. He was named to serve as National League athletic trainer at the 1987 and 1994 MLB All-Star Games. Letendre has been a certified member of the National Athletic Trainers Association since 1979 and is an active member of the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society.

When he is not lecturing on health care techniques, Letendre is educating audiences on the hazards of spit tobacco and was honored in 1998 by the National Spit Tobacco Education Program (NSTEP) for his efforts to educate players on the effects of spit tobacco. Mark is a member of the Scottsdale Charros, a civic group and serves on the board of governors for the Scottsdale Boys' and Girls' Club and as an officer for the Baseball Assistance Team charity.

Letendre is a 1978 graduate from the University of Maine-Orono where he received a B.S. in Physical Education and Health. He resides in Scottsdale, AZ with his wife, Judy, and daughters, Alyssa and Shannon.

Steven M. Erickson, M.D. is fellowship trained and Board Certified in Sports Medicine as well as Internal Medicine. He also serves as the Head Team Physician for Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ. Dr. Erickson grew up in Tucson and attended the University of Arizona for his undergraduate training in Biochemistry before going on to graduate from the University of Arizona College of Medicine. He completed his Internal Medicine training at St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix and went on to Ball State University where he received his sports medicine training and served as their team physician for two years. Steve is married to Dr. Laurie Erickson of Maricopa OB/GYN Associates and they are the proud parents of triplet girls, Katherine, Lindsey and Nicole.

Cathy Davis came to Major League Baseball in 2000 after spending the previous 22 years with the National League, where she worked in the public relations department before moving to the umpiring department in 1987 as Senior Administrator. In her current position, Davis is responsible for logistical and administrative day-to-day operations of the umpiring staff. Davis resides in Norwalk, CT.

Freddie Hernandez joined Major League Baseball's Umpire Operations in 2003 after working at Betelgeuse Productions. In his current post, Hernandez is responsible for all umpire-related video operations, including shooting game action video for umpires to review their mechanics, maintaining a database of umpire-related footage and providing umpires, supervisors and other personnel with specific video requests. A native of Ponce, Puerto Rico, Hernandez currently resides in Manhattan.

Matt McKendry joined Major League Baseball's On-Field Operations Department in 2002. His duties include investigating all on-field incidents and situations, assisting with disciplinary action decisions, monitoring pace of game issues, supporting the Uniform and Protective Equipment Regulations programs and administering his department's Stadium Operations projects. McKendry also assists the Umpiring Department throughout the year with a number of administrative and research issues. He joined MLB in November 2000 in the Club Relations department under Phyllis Merhige after working in Media Relations for the New York Yankees during the 2000 season. Matt is a graduate of Fordham University and resides in Newtown, CT with his wife Jackie and their daughter Avery.

Major League Baseball will employ 11 umpire observers, who have a combination of Major League playing, managing, coaching and officiating experience, for the 2009 season. These field observers are responsible for evaluation of performance in accordance with specified criteria for all Major League umpires as contained in the Major League Baseball Umpire Manual.

Dave has 11 years of experience as a professional umpire, including a three-year stint in the American Association (Triple-A) from 1992 to 1994. He currently umpires Division I college baseball and was selected to work the College World Series in 2004. He also officiates high school and college basketball. Dave is a freelance web designer and computer consultant and resides in St. Joseph, Michigan with his wife, Vicki, and daughters Hannah and Olivia. The family is very involved in the fight against Cystic Fibrosis, with which Hannah is afflicted.

Terry has been a basketball official for over 30 years and has refereed NCAA basketball for over 25 years. He has also been in education for over 32 years. Currently, Terry works as a professor of Physical Education at Skyline College in San Bruno, California. He played professional baseball in the New York Mets organization for seven years, was manager and instructor for the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals, and served as a Minor League pitching coach and pitching chart coordinator for both the Giants and Oakland A's.

Larry was a Major League pitching and bullpen coach with the Texas Rangers from 1996-2001. He was a scout for the Rangers from 1992 to 1994 and has held various managing and coaching positions in the Minor Leagues from 1979 to 1991. Larry played professional baseball for nine years and set the Major League record for games by a rookie in 1974 as a pitcher for the San Diego Padres.

Travis has 13 years of experience as a professional umpire, including 200 games at the Major League level. He began in 1990 as an umpire in the Gulf Coast League and worked his way through the Minor Leagues, including the Midwest League and the Texas League. Travis umpired for seven seasons (1996-2002) in the Pacific Coast League and spent parts of three seasons (1999-2001) umpiring games in the Major Leagues. Travis, who will begin his first year as an observer, is married with three boys.

Matt is in his second season with Major League Baseball as an umpire field observer, providing coverage from St. Louis. After graduating from the Harry Wendelstedt School for Umpiring, Matt began his career in 1986 in the Pioneer League and has also worked the Midwest League, Southern League, Dominican Republic, Pacific Coast League and finished his professional career after the 1996 season in the American Association. The 43-year-old Malone, a native of the St. Louis area, resides in O'Fallon, MO.

Mitch umpired professionally from 1985 through 1987 in the New York-Penn and Midwest leagues. He has been a NCAA baseball umpire since 1987, umpiring in the NCAA baseball championships since 1989. Mitch was selected to umpire in the 2008 College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. He is currently an account executive in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area for BioReference Laboratories, headquartered in Elmwood Park, NJ. Mitch resides in New Jersey.

Hank is the Chairperson in the Department of Education and Human Services at Villanova University. He holds a Doctorate in Education from Duke University. He received a Masters Degree in Counseling and a B.S. in English/Education from Villanova University. He has officiated basketball at all levels including Division I, where he has officiated the Final Four 10 times and the NCAA Championship game six times. He is the Chairperson of the Officials Committee for USA Basketball, the NCAA National Coordinator of Men's Basketball Officiating and the Secretary-Rules Editor of the NCAA Men's Basketball Rules Committee. He played professional baseball for three years in the Cincinnati Reds organization.

Kevin umpired professionally for 10 years, including in the International League (1992). Currently, Kevin is an operations manager for Alpine Industrial Inc. and is a licensed Real Estate Salesperson for ERA Realty Services, Inc. Kevin is a graduate of Joe Brinkman Umpire School. He also coaches youth soccer and baseball and officiates high school and college basketball.

Joe became an umpire observer for Major League Baseball in 2006. He has three years of professional baseball umpiring experience and 30 years at the high school and collegiate levels. A former observer for the Big West Conference, Joe currently works in that capacity for the Pacific 10 Conference. He was a four-year member of the National High School Federation Baseball Rules Committee and is a past chairman of the board of both the National Association of Sports Officials and the Southern California Umpiring Association. A longtime investment consultant who worked for Merrill Lynch, Joe is retired and has two children and two granddaughters.

Now in his second year as an observer in 2009, Steve was a Major League umpire from 1984 through 2003. The former National League umpire worked the 1990 All-Star Game, four Division Series, three League Championship Series and three World Series (1996, 1999 and 2001). Rippley, who also served as a crew chief, counts his experiences working the Fall Classic as the proudest moments of his career. Steve worked at various levels of the minor leagues from 1974 through 1982 before joining the National League staff.

Bill has nearly four decades of professional baseball experience, as a player, coach, and manager. He appeared in more games than any other Los Angeles Dodger (2,181) in his 18-year Major League career. He played in three All-Star Games and four World Series. Bill was a coach in the Dodgers organization for 10 years and managed Los Angeles from June 1996 to June 1998. He has also coached in the Tampa Bay organization and managed Shreveport, the Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, in 2001.