NorthPaws GM Jenna Forter (right) is more focused on putting together great entertainment at the ballpark, not necessarily the baseball product (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

NORTHPAWS GM

NorthPaws’ GM focused more on building best entertainment at ballpark, not building roster

Dec 2, 2021 | 3:22 PM

KAMLOOPS — Jenna Forter is the NorthPaws new general manager, but her role with the expansion franchise is much more than what you would traditionally associate with a sports GM.

“I’ll learn more about the trades and on-boarding players further down the road, but it’s a focus on creating a really good fan experience,” said Forter. “So that includes the food and beverage aspect, the event side of things — like what is the entertainment going to look like — working with [NorthPaws operations manager] Jamie [Shinkewski] on theme nights and building partnerships in the community.”

A former bartender, Forter is a recent TRU graduate in tourism management with little baseball experience.

However, the NorthPaws, getting ready for their inaugural 2022 season, have always been about doing things differently. It went into ownership’s decision to hire Forter.

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“Fan experience is top of mind with us and always has been,” said NorthPaws part-owner Jon Pankuch. “It’s always been about what’s the fan experience when they come to the game, so it was important for us not to have someone that is familiar with so much the baseball end of the business but how to entertain people, how to get them to the park, and what do they experience they get there and how do they feel when they leave because that’s going to bring them back on the second time and the third time.”

Forter will eventually be involved in recruitment, but for now that is in the hands of the club’s manager Cole Armstrong. She will more be responsible for contracts, travel logistics, and most importantly bringing about great entertainment off the diamond.

“I would really like to see some local producers of craft food and beverage. I think that’s really important, and Kamloops has a lot to offer in that sense,” she said. “I did culinary tourism, so that’s a really big passion of mine. Then I’m a huge music fan as well and I would love to see some live bands and get them involved with the games as well.”

In a sports world still dominated by men, women are slowly starting to break in. There are assistant coaches in the NBA and NFL, and the Miami Marlins last year hired Kim Ng as baseball’s first-ever female general manager.

While that didn’t go into ownerships decision to hire Forter, she says being on the cutting edge of sports with the NorthPaws is special to her.

“It really, honestly, gives me a little bit of shivers and it makes me very excited,” said Forter. “I think it’s really important for me to be part of such an empowering ownership group and a team. They’re very empowering. It’s just really special, to say the least, and it’s really inspiring as well for younger women who are entering any professional field. Times are changing and I’m really excited to be part of that.”

The franchise knows there is still some hesitancy in the city after the 2021 season was cancelled, but they are forging ahead, trying to make it the best entertainment product in town.