Staff

Business Operations

Scott Brand

Team President

Phone313-572-1141

Scott Brand’s duties will include creating corporate partnerships, ticket sales, promotions, and business operations. Brand, a Michigan native, recently served as the President of Ignite Sports and Entertainment where he oversaw the expansion of the following professional sports organizations: Columbus River Dragons (hockey), Columbus Chatt-a-Hoots & Chattahoochee Monsters (baseball). Scott also oversaw the renovation of historic Golden Park in Columbus, GA.

Prior to his time in Columbus, GA, he led a group that created the highly successful expansion pro hockey team in Winston-Salem, NC with the Carolina Thunderbirds. Under his direction, all those teams enjoyed record corporate partnership revenues, record crowds and growth in traditional broadcast outlets, as well as winning and championship seasons. Brand spent several years in the United States Hockey league as the league’s director of hockey operations, referee-in-chief, a general manager for teams in Waterloo, Dubuque and Youngstown, as well as an on-ice official.

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Diego Wilson

Corporate Partnership Sales

Emaildiego@rockershockey.com

Connor Jakacki

Ticket Sales Manager

Phone313-944-0625

Emailconnor@rockershockey.com

Connor is responsible for group ticket sales and box office operations for the Motor City Rockers.

Connor grew up in Livonia, Michigan, attending Stevenson High School where he played hockey, golf, and baseball. He went on to play college golf at Saginaw Valley State University.

Connor has experience in the sports industry, working for the Saginaw Spirit, Great Lakes Loons, and the American Junior Golf Association.

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Hockey Operations

Nick Field

General Manager

Emailnick.field@mcrockershockey.com

As General Manager Field will oversee all hockey operations and will work closely in partnership with the Team President. Field will be an integral part of identifying player talent along with scheduling and day-to-day hockey operations.

Prior to joining the Rockers, Field has extensive experience as both a player and coach. Field playing career started at the Junior A level playing for the Cleveland Barons of the NAHL and the Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL. Field then attended Ferris State University, joining their NCAA Division I hockey program. After college, he also played professional games in the ECHL for the Texas Wildcatters and the Huntsville Havoc of the SPHL.

Post-playing career, Field began a coaching, a career that lasted over a decade. He ran and oversaw both the varsity and junior varsity programs at Lake Orion High School then took over the head coaching role for Oakland University’s ACHA Division I program for two seasons.

Nick is a graduate of Ferris State University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing.

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Gordie Brown

Head Coach

Emailgordie.brown@mcrockershockey.com

A native of Brighton, Michigan, Gordie Brown has spent the last fifteen years coaching, scouting, and assisting hundreds of players in their development for Junior, College, and Professional Hockey Programs. Gordie has been blessed to work with many talented players including Colin Belik (Manitoba Moose - AHL), Kevin Fitzgerald (South Carolina Stingrays - ECHL), Kurt Gosselin (Toledo Walleye - ECHL), Peter Thome (Idaho Steelheads -ECHL), Jack Berry (Peoria Rivermen - SPHL), Brett Miller (Rensselaer Polytech Institute - NCAA), and many other prominent figures in the hockey community.

During his fifteen years of coaching, Gordie has amassed a record of 423-265-41-6. His coaching resume includes Head Coach of Compuware AAA Midget Major, Northville Men’s Varsity Hockey, Michigan Hockey Advancement, and Michigan Elite. Gordie has also been an Assistant Coach with the Aberdeen Wings (NAHL), Lansing Wolves (NA3HL), HoneyBaked AAA Midget Major, Team Michigan, West Michigan Warriors, and Team Metro West. Gordie has directed hockey clinics including the Mid-West Junior Training Program, Huron Hockey School, Michigan High School Excellence Camp, and Total Package Hockey Summer Camp as well.

Gordie is a USA Hockey Level 5 Certified Coach and has been a presenter at USA Hockey Level 1, 2, & 3 coaching clinics. In addition to coaching, Gordie has spent time scouting for USHL and NAHL programs and has worked with the Michigan Amateur Hockey Association Selects Program to assist in the selection of the State’s best 15u and 16u hockey players to represent Michigan.

Always looking to improve as a person and being passionate about the game, Gordie has attended numerous hockey clinics including the NHL Coaches Association Global Coaches Clinic, The Coaches Site Live Conference, Minnesota Hockey Coaches Clinic, Barry Smith (NHL – Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Phoenix, Buffalo) Coaches Clinic, and the USA Hockey Symposium where he has attained his Master Level Coach certification with USA Hockey. Gordie also has experience with elite-athlete training and nutrition, attending events in Texas, Ohio, Minnesota, and Michigan. With his strong communication skills, Gordie has been privileged to work with players from North America, as well as from Sweden, Finland, Russia, Czechoslovakia, Germany, England & France.

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Corey Swider

Assistant Coach

Bill Ruggiero

Goaltending Coach

Emailbill.ruggiero@mcrockershockey.com

Born in Ventura California, Bill Ruggiero moved to Michigan to play for the Fraser Falcons Midget AAA hockey team. Well versed in the world of hockey, Ruggiero has competed in the Canadian Tier2 Junior League, and played 4 years of Major Juniors for the London Knights, Plymouth Whalers, & Moncton Wildcats. He was invited as a Free Agent to the Nashville Predators camp in 2001 and played in the ECHL-Johnstown Chiefs, UHL-Motor City Mechanics, CHL-Tulsa Oilers, IHL-Flint Generals, AHL-Cleveland Barons, Windsor Saints-MLH and Suomi Sarja-Kiekko Laser Finland. Ruggiero was also on Emergency Backup Goalie Status for the Florida Panthers and Detroit Red Wings.

Bill was awarded the David Pinkney trophy in 1999-2000 (Lowest OHL Team GAA) and received the All-Star team selection, Team MVP, Tim Hortons Three Stars Award, Defensive Player of the year, and Best Import Goalie playing for the Moncton Wildcats QMJHL. Ruggiero was also Defensive Player of the year in 2005 and 2007 for the Tulsa Oilers CHL, Ironman award Tulsa Oilers in 2007, Second Team All-Star Windsor Saints MLH in 2008 and Team MVP Kiekko Laser Finland in 2009.

Ruggiero is a current owner of CatEye Goaltending, a Metro-Detroit Goalie school that offers camps, clinics and lessons. Current organizations involved include SCS Saints, Metro Jets, OJGAAA, Big Boy, ESH Bulldogs, L'Ance Creuse Unified High School Varsity, Grosse Pointe North Girls High School Varsity.

Ruggiero has been coaching goalies for over 25 years in Michigan, Oklahoma, Canada and Finland. 

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Nicholas Kaiser

Equipment Manager

EmailSend a message

Nick is the head Equipment Manager for the Motor City Rockers.

Born and raised in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. Nick attended North Allegheny High School where I played hockey and lacrosse. Nick played AA/AAA hockey for the Arctic Foxes as well as lacrosse playing for various travel teams and a state semifinalist for his high school.

Nick attended Columbia College in Missouri and obtained a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration. While at Columbia, Nick was a scholarship athlete for the men's lacrosse team. Upon graduation, Nick attended Lawrence Technological University's Master's in Business Administration program. During his time at Lawrence Tech, I was the graduate assistant for their men's ACHA Division 1 and Division 3 ice hockey teams where I was primarily responsible for being the equipment manager.

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Jason Partanen

Asst. Equipment Manager

Media and Broadcasting

Parker Brown

Marketing and Social Media

Emailparker@rockershockey.com

Parker Brown is responsible for marketing and social media for the Motor City Rockers. Parker is a graduate from Olivet College with a degree in Media Production and Communication. While at Olivet, Parker involved himself with the sports media program, broadcasting, podcasting, and creating other content to boost the overall image of Olivet College athletics.

Jason Brown

Public Relations

Jason is the Founder and “Mayor” of PublicCity and serves as the public relations lead for the Motor City Rockers.

Prior to founding PublicCity, Jason gained considerable experience working at various Detroit-based public relations agencies over the last 10 years, where he functioned as a media relations specialist.

He has developed and managed communications programs and projects for leading companies, such as Dunkin’ Donuts, eBay and Microsoft and also spent significant time working on various General Motors project work. Jason leverages his vast network of media and community contacts to benefit his existing clients, such as Blake's Hard Cider, UglyChristmasSweater.com, Hollywood Casino at Greektown and many others.

Jason is extremely connected with local, regional and national media. Among the highlights of his accomplishments include placing various regionally-based clients in front of the national media spotlight. Jason has secured national placements in Wall Street Journal, CNN, New York Times, Entrepreneur as well as national morning shows, such as Good Morning America, Today Show, Fox & Friends, Kelly & Ryan and others.

Outside of the agency, Jason is a past President of the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation, Michigan Chapter and currently sits on the board of directors for Yad Ezra and the Anti-Defamation League, Michigan.

Jason is a graduate of Michigan State University, where he earned a bachelor of arts degree in Journalism.

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Ben Szilagy

Broadcaster

Ben Szilagy joined Motor City in 2022 as a Play-by-Play voice of the Rockers in its inaugural season and will return in 2023.

Szilagy has been in journalism and broadcasting for over 15 years in the Detroit Area. He was a Sports Writer for The Oakland Press, The Ann Arbor Journal, The Macomb Daily, State Champs Sports Network and other renowned publications.

He has called over 300 hockey games at various levels in his 10 year broadcasting career, and has called other sports as well. He started his broadcasting career at 97.1 The Ticket in Detroit as a Reporter and Producer before calling MHSAA contests, NAPHL Showcases for HockeyTV and USPHL Premier games for the Detroit Fighting Irish and the Motor City Gamblers.

Szilagy is a graduate of the University of Michigan-Dearborn with a degree in Communications while obtaining University Honors.

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Brady Beedon

Broadcaster

Brady joined the Motor City broadcast team in 2022 for the inaugural season providing both play by play and color commentary.

Brady has previous FPHL experience calling games for the Port Huron Prowlers, he also broadcasts NAPHL Showcase games and High School play by play for GetStuckOnSports.com

Brady broadcasts Wayne State Athletics including football, women's basketball, volleyball, and softball. He has also broadcasted for St. Clair Community College, Oakland University and NJCAA Women's Basketball Championship Tournament. He is also covering the USPBL out of Jimmy John's Field in Utica, MI over the summers.

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Medical

Dr. Ashley Fox, DC, MS, CCSP, FACMUAP

Head Athletic Trainer

Dr. Fox serves as the Motor City Rockers Head Athletic Trainer.

Born and raised just north of Hockeytown, in Port Huron, Michigan, Dr. Ashley Fox developed a love and passion for hockey and has dedicated her career to serving those who love and play the sport. Dr. Fox graduated from Hope College, where she was on the varsity cheer and track & field team, with a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise science & psychology with an emphasis in athletic training. She then worked with the Detroit Lions and Detroit Tigers for a season before becoming the head athletic trainer of the Port Huron Prowlers for four years.

Wanting to further develop her skills in helping and treating these athletes, Dr. Fox obtained her Master of Science in sports science and rehabilitation, and Doctor of Chiropractic from Logan University. While at Logan University, she also interned as a strength and conditioning coach under retired Boston Bruins player and current owner and strength conditioning coach at RIPT Hockey, Jeff LoVecchio. Here she was able to learn and assist in the offseason, preseason, and in season training of hockey players at the U18 tier 1 AAA, D1, and NHL levels.

After graduation, Dr. Fox knew there was no better community to serve than Hockeytown itself in Metro Detroit, where she specializes in treating all athletes from the weekend warrior to professional athletes, helping them with rehabilitation, injury prevention, and achieving optimal performance levels.

Dr. Fox is excited to be the official team doctor of the Motor City Rockers in partnership with Insight, using her skills developed as an athletic trainer and chiropractic sports physician to serve all those looking to improve their overall function and game. Dr. Fox emphasizes treating soft tissue needs with ART, dry needling, cupping, IASTM, kinesio, and athletic taping. She also specializes in addressing muscular imbalances with individualized rehabilitation programs in combination with full spine and extremity adjustments.