APPLETON (NBC 26) — Rob Zerjav, president of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, has been named the High-A Executive of the Year by Minor League Baseball.
Zerjav has been a part of the Timber Rattlers front office since 1997 and became president and general manager after the 2002 season. He received the honor following after what the organization is calling a "standout 2025 season."
Record-breaking attendance drives success
Zerjav oversaw an attendance surge of more than 236,000 in 2025, marking the highest attendance for a season since 2016. Merchandise sales, corporate sales, special events also saw a boost, according to the team.
Ryan Moede, Timber Rattlers vice president of business operations, praised Zerjav's leadership.
"The entire staff is extremely proud of Rob for being honored as Minor League Baseball's High-A Executive of the Year," Moede said. "Rob's creativity, drive for success, and commitment to making every fan's experience the absolute best has created a top-notch culture within our organization and been the key to the team's growth and success.
Zerjav also spearheaded a new off-season activity at Neuroscience Group Field with the debut of the "Timber Rattlers Holiday Lights — A Walkthrough Event," which opened to big crowds and enthusiastic reviews, according to the team. The event continues every night except Christmas Eve through Jan. 3.
Recognition builds on previous honors
This latest recognition adds to Zerjav's impressive collection of awards. Baseball America named him their Minor League Executive of the Year after the 2023 season, and he has won the Midwest League's Executive of the Year in 2007, 2012 and 2018.
However, Zerjav credits the recognition to the Timber Rattlers organization as a whole.
"This recognition is very nice, personally, but a real testament to the complete Timber Rattlers organization," Zerjav said. "We have so many talented, creative and dedicated individuals that truly believe in our mission and I feel so fortunate to work with all of them on a daily basis."
Looking ahead to 2026
Zerjav and the front office are preparing for the 2026 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers season, which opens at home against the Beloit Sky Carp on Thursday, April 2, with first pitch scheduled for 6:40 p.m. CDT, according to the team.
