Wendy Selig-Prieb

Wendy Selig-Prieb is the President of New Ventures of The Worth Collection LTD, a privately owned New York based luxury fashion company. She was the CEO of the Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club, having served in that position from 1998 to 2004, during which time she was Major League Baseball's only female CEO.^[1]

Professional career

In April 2014, Selig-Prieb was named President of New Ventures for The Worth Collection LTD, where she is responsible for the company's marketing, digital, social media and other strategic initiatives.^[2]

Prior to assuming this position, Selig-Prieb spent two years as President of Worth New York, the flagship brand of Worth-Prieb joined the company in 2005, starting her own business representing Worth New York in Arizona.

Selig-Prieb is a member of the Board of Directors of Delaware North Companies, a global leader in hospitality and food service. She also serves on the Board of the Milwaukee Brewers Community Foundation, the Board of Trustees of Phoenix Country Day School and is a member of the Arizona Women’s Leadership Forum.

Selig-Prieb was the CEO of the Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club from 1998-2004.

Selig-Prieb joined the Brewers as General Counsel in 1990 with a legal background. Fifteen years later, she left with a great deal more.^[3] In September 1992, Selig-Prieb assumed responsibility for the day-to-day operations when her father, Bud Selig, became acting Commissioner of Major League Baseball . On August 4, 1998, Selig-Prieb was named President and Chief Executive Officer of the Brewers. She was appointed Chairman of the Board in 2002 and continued in that capacity until the club was sold in January 2005.

The 2001 opening of Miller Park was the culmination of a 10-year mission for Selig-Prieb and the organization. In drawing over 2.8 million fans that season, the Brewers not only shattered the club’s previous attendance record but also achieved the largest increase by a Major League club in the first year of a new ballpark.

During her tenure, the Brewers rebuilt their minor league system, which was the centerpiece of their strategy to build a play-off caliber club. In 2002, Selig-Prieb hired GM Doug Melvin, who revitalized the farm system and produced players including Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks and Corey Hart. The Brewerrs also engaged the community through various initiatives, including the creation of Brewers Charities (now called the Brewers Community Foundation). Brewers Charities raised nearly $3 million and supported many innovative programs such as The Girls of Summer Softball League, established in 2000, which marked the first time a Girl Scout council, Major League Baseball Club and an urban school district collaborated on a program for girls. Another signature program was The Selig Scholarship Fund, which was created from the 2002 Major League Baseball All-Star Game proceeds, and provides six college scholarships to Wisconsin youth annually.

During her tenure, Selig-Prieb, who took over management of the club when her father was elevated to acting commissioner, was the only female President and Chairman of a Major League Baseball Club. As part of management’s 12-person negotiating committee in collective bargaining with the MLB Players Association, Selig-Prieb was the first woman to represent Major League Baseball at the bargaining table (1994-1995). She served on numerous other committees for Baseball and represented the Brewers at Major League meetings from September 1992- January 2005.

Selig-Prieb began her baseball career in the Brewers’ broadcasting department in 1982 before becoming an Executive Trainee for Major League Baseball in New York from 1983 to 1985. Selig-Prieb took a break from baseball after receiving her law degree in 1988 and worked as a corporate attorney for Foley & Lardner before joining the Brewers.

Philanthropy

Selig-Prieb was active in the Milwaukee community. She served for many years on the Board of Directors of the Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) Fund and United Way of Greater Milwaukee. From 1998-2004, Selig-Prieb was the honorary chair for the March of Dimes Run for Babies and was the Co-Chair of the YWCA’s Circle of Women Luncheon in 2003 and 2004. She also served on the Governor of Wisconsin’s Glass Ceiling Commission and Senator Herb Kohl’s Advisory Committee on the Status of Women.

As she did in Milwaukee, Selig-Prieb has continued to work to support at-risk youth and families. In 2008, she served as a judge for the Annual Stars Event of the Boys & Girls Club of Metropolitan Phoenix. Selig-Prieb served on the committee for the Florence Crittenton Teaming Up for Kids Luncheon in 2007, as the Vice-Chair in 2009 and Honorary Chair in 2010. In 2008, she served on the Phoenix Heart Ball Committee.

Education & Awards

Selig-Prieb earned her Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from Marquette University Law School in 1988. She graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University in 1982.

Among the honors Selig-Prieb has been awarded are:

• The Joseph E. O'Neil Award from Marquette University National Law Institute
• The Education for Public Inquiry and International Citizenship Award from Tufts University in 2000
• Milwaukee's Sixteenth Street Community Health Center honored her in 2000
• 40 Under 40 Leaders from The Sports Business Journal (1999)
• The Sports Business Journal ranked her among the most powerful women in sports for 3 consecutive years
• Finalist for the Women in Sports and Events (WISE) Woman of the Year Award
• 40 Under 40 Leaders from The Business Journal of Milwaukee (1992)

Personal life

Selig-Prieb is married to Laurel Prieb, Vice President-Western Operations & Special Projects for Major League Baseball. They have a daughter, Natalie.

References