Andrew Friedman - Biography

Andrew Friedman (born November 13, 1976, in Houston, Texas) is the Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations for the Tampa Bay Rays franchise in Major League Baseball. In that position, he acts as the team's General Manager.

Early life

Friedman attended Episcopal High School in Houston, and subsequently Tulane University on a baseball scholarship, where he earned a B.S. in management with a concentration in finance at Tulane's Freeman School of Business. Just as his father Kenny had played baseball for Tulane, he played outfield for the Green Wave until injuring his wrist and shoulder.

Friedman was then an analyst with Bear Stearns from 1999–2002, and then was an associate at MidMark Capital, a private equity firm, from 2002-04.

Baseball

In 2003, through his investment banking buddy, Matt Silverman (now president of the Rays), he met Stuart Sternberg, who was about to purchase controlling interest in Tampa Bay's baseball franchise. The group convened at a diner near Sternberg's home in Rye, New York. Sternberg and Friedman hit it off immediately, talking for hours. "He had the same thought process I did," Sternberg said. "I sensed his passion. His willingness to step away from a lucrative career meant an enormous amount to me.

From 2004 to 2005, Friedman served as the Director of Baseball Development for the Rays.

Friedman was promoted to his current position after the 2005 season, at the age of 28, replacing the club's first General Manager, Chuck LaMar, who was fired following the club's 8th losing season in its 8 years in existence.

He was named Sporting News Executive of the Year for the 2008 season.

Friedman's biggest strengths, according to those who have worked closely with him, are his ability to listen and incorporate the opinions of others.