Page 19 - Final Inspirational Women Issue

Inspirational Women

Lonnie Murray lived because I was just done. We
were both young, and we realized
it just wasn’t forever.”
Lonnie obtained a position
working for a nonprofit and spent
CEO OF SPORTS MANAGEMENT PARTNERS 15 years in this arena, “I loved
working for nonprofits, I think it
By Judith A. Habert bleeds over to what I am doing
now because I’m still helping
families and kids. It is important
to me that I am honest about
job predominantly held by males, what I’m doing, and that every-
make no mistake Lonnie Murray thing I do, is for the right reason.”
has made a mark in this industry With convictions such as
managing to approach it in her these, it is easy to see why Lonnie
own unique and impressive way. would be a success in whatev-
When you consider the game er industry she tackled. While
of baseball it is clear that it is not working in the nonprofit in-
one that is open to women in dustry, she would come to meet
most aspects of the field. Con- her current husband, former
sider the fact that there has never Major League player and past
been a female MLB player in its General Manager of the Arizona
149-year history. We came close Diamond Backs, Dave Stewart.
in 2015 when a 16-year-old girl “I was working for a nonprofit
from France, Melissa Mayeux, ‘Team Up for Youth,’ and Dave
a shortstop on the French U-18 was a member of the board of
junior national team became the directors. I had been introduced
first known female baseball player when he came into the office for
to be added to the MLB’s interna- a board meeting, but it was just
tional registration list. This meant that, a business introduction.” It
that she would be eligible to be would be some time before they
signed by a Major League club. had their next encounter and this
Sadly, this never happened. one almost lost Lonnie her job.
So how did Lonnie break that “I was given the task of email-
ceiling and find her way into the ing all of the board members to
Sports Agent business? Born in get a consensus on a project we
Camden New Jersey and raised were putting together. All of
Photos by Dawn Nicoli/Nicoli Productions
in Washington state, Lonnie the members responded swiftly,
had no initial desire to be a part except for Dave, he had been out
HEN YOU MEET of the baseball industry. At the of the country and didn’t get back
Lonnie Murray, CEO age of 17 she married her high to me for several weeks.” When
Wof Sports Manage- school sweetheart, and due to the he did call, he told Lonnie that
ment Partners, you know right request of the U.S. Navy, she and he could not open the files she
off the bat that she is a dynamic her new husband were relocated had sent, so she resent the email,
woman who is beautiful, loving, to San Diego. The marriage was and he still had a problem. “I
protective, and tough when nec- short-lived, but they both realized have to admit that this irritated
essary. Perhaps an unusual com- they were too young to make a me and I responded in a way I
bination for the CEO of a compa- major life decision like marriage. probably shouldn’t have.” Since
ny, but the perfect mix for one of “He went to work one day, and I Dave was an admired baseball
the few Female Sports Agents in packed my jeep up and drove to Icon, particularly in the Oakland
the industry. Although this is a the Bay Area where my girlfriend area, after a stellar career with

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