Amber Simons was named Director of Community Relations & Operations on May 12, 2008.
Simons worked for more than four years (1997-2001) in the Chicago White Sox community relations, guest services and operations departments. Her sports industry experience also includes almost four years (2003-2007) as a certified player agent for Oak Brook based Prospex Sports Management and a stint with the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Simons gained international experience at the highest level of sports with the 2002 SLOC Olympic and Paralympic Village Team. There, she assisted with the training of more than 1500 venue specific volunteers and managed over 500 job specific volunteers during the Olympic and Paralympic games. In addition, Simons gained experience as she worked with a small staff to organize, plan and implement the pass administration system for all guests entering and exiting the Olympic and Paralympic Villages.
Simons combined her experience with the White Sox and SLOC to continue her career as a Certified Baseball Agent with Prospex. She handled all player logistics for more than 30 Major League and Minor League players, including Latin American players. Her responsibilities included Minor League contract negotiations, free agent placement, Latin American winter ball placement, marketing and equipment contract negotiations, all immigration matters and equipment orders.
While with the White Sox, Simons community relations experience included organizing marketing and endorsement opportunities featuring Sox players alumni and current team members. She addressed all issues concerning individual appearances and team activities. She also organized community events, check presentations, recognition events and ceremonial first pitches, managed relationships with charities including providing assistance to their annual campaigns via donations, promotions and public service announcements and assisted with all aspects of fundraising and charity events
Organization of Sox Fest fell under Simons scope of work from 1997 to 2000 including handling all logistics, including player travel, appearance schedules, volunteers and hotel logistics.
Her operations experience with the Sox includes one season in the team’s Stadium/Park Operations Department, Guest Services and Diamond Suites where she scheduled and trained more than 2500 day of game staff and front office staff, assisted the Director of Guest Services and the Coordinator of Diamond Suites during every home game and planned, implemented and managed tours of Comiskey Park with donations benefiting White Sox Charities.
Roller Derby Name: Torture chAMBER
Nickname: Amparito
Chinese Zodiac Sign: (Water) Ox
Favorite Band: Ozomatli
Favorite band/singer I've never seen in concert: Robbie Williams
Other jobs I've had: Walt Disney World Cast Member
Pets: None, but my plants get a lot of TLC~Ginseng Ficus Bonsai Tree and Bromeliad
Number of states I have visited: 46 of the 50 states in the US and even 14 of the 31 states in Mexico
Number of countries I have visited: 22
City I want to visit: Antigua, Guatemala
Worst Movie: Anchorman, I actually walked out, but still love Will Ferrell!
Greatest natural wonder: The jungle
Favorite non-soccer team: Chicago White Sox
Hometown/What I miss most about my hometown: Oak Brook/I miss all of trees and streams.
If I could live in another decade, which one would it be andy why: The nifty 50's Happy Days and the Wonder Years~The Beatles and Elvis