From president to professor, Brenner ‘grateful’ for his time with the Fisher Cats

MANCHESTER, NH – It is the bottom of the first inning in the first game of a doubleheader against the Portland Sea Dogs at Delta Dental Stadium, and New Hampshire Fisher Cats president Rick Brenner sits beside the Cats’ dugout, flanked by his beloved bat dog, Casey, who is preparing to run out to home plate and fetch the Fisher Cats’ bats.

The next day, May 1, will be Brenner’s last with the organization where he has spent 15 years, on two separate stints, as he continues to work as faculty at his alma mater, Plymouth State University.

During his 15 years with the Fisher Cats, Brenner wore many hats—as a general manager, co-owner, and president—and as he looks out on the field, on this comfortable and near-cloudless last afternoon of April, myriad emotions take over, but mostly, Brenner feels gratitude.

“I’m feeling everything right now,” said Brenner, 57, a native of Pennington, N.J. “But mostly I feel grateful for the opportunity that I had to serve this community and this organization. I’m grateful for the way everyone I’ve worked with has treated me, and I’m grateful for the fans.”

Brenner began his career in sports and entertainment management as an undergrad at Plymouth State, almost by accident, when a local college band named The Regular Einsteins asked him to manage them. “That was really when I caught the bug for putting on events,” he said. “It was a passion I had that I didn’t know I had.”

He followed that passion to an internship with the Trenton Thunder that led into a full-time position with the organization, which eventually led him to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats where Brenner was twice named the Eastern League Executive of the Year.

Meanwhile, Brenner was also attending graduate school at Ohio University and earned his master’s in Sports Administration in 2021. “I went for my master’s degree to set myself up to someday teach college, and to learn how the people coming out of college were learning so I could be a better leader,” he said.

Then, in 2022, Brenner suffered a stroke that would change the trajectory of his life. After purchasing the team in 2021, Brenner and his partners sold the Fisher Cats to Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH) in 2024, and Brenner stayed on as president while starting to teach as faculty at Plymouth State University and adjunct faculty at Southern New Hampshire University.

At Plymouth State University, Brenner teaches courses in Introduction to Marketing, sports marketing, and sales leadership and management. He also serves as the director of Plymouth State’s Sales Institute, while at SNHU, he teaches graduate-level courses.

Brenner said that he has noticed many similarities between his job in the Fisher Cats front office and the classroom.

“So many employees [at the Fisher Cats] are just beginning their careers, and there is a lot of teaching involved in running a business like this,” he said. “It has been one of my biggest joys watching people grow and develop and make the best of themselves, and I get that same thing from teaching.”

Returning to his old stomping grounds on the Plymouth State campus has been another thrill for Brenner. “Plymouth is where I found myself, and there are many ways to give back to places that you value,” he said. “There are so many wonderful colleagues and students, and I am really proud and happy to be a part of that.”

As Brenner departs, he leaves the team in the capable hands of the new general manager, Taylor Fisher, who grew up watching the Fisher Cats. “Taylor has the right personality and phenomenal acumen. He has been in this industry for a long time, and he has a quality about him that will allow him to do very well in this role,” said Brenner.

Fisher said that Brenner has been instrumental in making the transition as smooth as possible.

“Rick has made sure that I hit the ground running,” said Fisher. “He has been helping me to get settled in, bit by bit, and bringing me up to speed with everything. He has been very supportive and has made it easier for the new guy coming in. We’re going to miss his relationships and institutional knowledge, but I always know Rick is just a phone call or a text away.”

And Brenner said that he sees a bright future for the organization.

“What you have here is the right ownership group, the right vision, and the right day-to-day leadership for this organization to blossom, and I’m so fortunate to have been a small part of it, and I look forward to continuing here as a fan, and a bat-dog dad,” said Brenner.

Brenner added that Casey will remain in her role as bat dog for a few games each homestand, fetching the Cats’ lumber in the bottom of the first inning.

And while Brenner closes his chapter with the Fisher Cats, he is thankful for the many people who made his journey possible.

“I’d like to thank the ownership in Trenton where I learned everything that I brought here. I want to thank the Toronto Blue Jays, my former partners, the people at DBH, and Art Solomon, who was like a father to me, and a tremendous ownership partner and friend,” he said. “These teams can be such a centerpiece in their community, and having the opportunity to engage with the community, and the Fisher Cats fans has been such a privilege, and I say, ‘Thank you.’ I am blessed.”