CINCINNATI (Aug. 8. 2023) — In keeping with his steadfast leadership over the past four-plus decades, Jim Houser was calm and collected on the mound of Great American Ball Park and delivered a smooth ceremonial first pitch in the moments leading up to the Cincinnati Reds’ Aug. 8 matchup with the Miami Marlins.
Hailing from Cincinnati and an alumnus of the University of Cincinnati, Houser was recognized as he prepares to retire at the end of the year from his role as executive vice president and chief operating officer of Delaware North – the Reds’ longtime foodservice and retail partner. He began his career with Delaware North more than 45 years ago as a vendor at Riverfront Stadium, a former home of the Reds.
Reds President and COO Phil Castellini gathered close friends and family of Houser to partake in a retirement celebration hosted at the ballpark. During the event, Castellini shared nostalgic anecdotes of his own childhood experiences attending games at Riverfront Stadium. Castellini went on to acknowledge the enduring collaboration between Delaware North and the Reds, attributing many prevailing best practices to Houser’s efforts. Additionally, he lauded Delaware North’s shared commitment to elevating the overall fan experience at Great American Ball Park.
Caption: Jim Houser, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Delaware North, was presented with a custom Cincinnati Reds jersey bearing his name and another jersey signed by Reds icon Pete Rose. From left to right are Jamie Obletz, president of Delaware North Sportservice; Shawn Mattox, vice president of operations; Joe Sims, chief operating officer; Houser; Bob Thormeier, vice president of operations; Tom Olson, vice president of operations; Don Dierig, vice president of operations; and Andy Worden, general manager for Delaware North at Great American Ball Park.