Fernando Aguirre, the new owner of the Erie SeaWolves, took a tour of historic Union Station today – also the global headquarters for Logistics Plus. At the invitation of Jim Berlin, founder and CEO of Logistics Plus, Mr. Aguirre – joined by Erie SeaWolves president Greg Coleman, and its assistant general manager/communications Greg Gania – enjoyed a brief tour of the building as well as a hearty Mexico-themed lunch (Mr. Aguirre is a native of Mexico City). It was a thrill for Logistics Plus employees in Erie to host these three important local sports figures. Logistics Plus is an ongoing sponsor for the Erie SeaWolves franchise, and many of its employees are devoted fans. Special thank you to Alfredo Ayala, Francisco Tijerina, Rosy Trevino, Tracy White, Raquel Vazquez, Belen Herando, and others, for being chaperones and helping with cooking duties.
Mr. Aguirre attended Southern Illinois University Edwardsville on a baseball scholarship. He was an infielder for three seasons and pitched his senior season for the Cougars. He became a respected business leader with The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) in a broad range of global leadership positions. After more than 23 years with P&G, he was hired in 2004 to lead Chiquita Brands International as its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Aguirre held the role for almost nine years before leaving his corporate career to become an entrepreneur. In 2010, Aguirre became the first Hispanic leader to appear on the CBS program Undercover Boss. He recently became the second largest owner and Vice-Chairman of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Advanced A, Chicago Cubs) and also owns a minority interest in the Cincinnati Reds.
The Erie SeaWolves are a minor baseball league team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. They play in the Eastern League as the Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. The team plays at downtown Erie’s Jerry Uht Park, which opened in 1995. In the left picture below are (left-to-right) Greg Gania, Alfredo Ayala, Greg Coleman, Jim Berlin, Fernando Aguirre, and Francisco Tijerina. In the picture on the right, Alfredo and Francisco oversee barbecue duties.