ProfiLes

By Riley Runnells

Joe Napoli doesn’t believe in creating his own legacy – in fact, he hates being asked that question. Napoli believes that is for other people to determine – not for one to choose for themself. “It’s never been a motivation (establishing a legacy); it’s never been about that,” Napoli explains, adding, “It’s always been about all those little wins that you have (with family) and all those learning curves and opportunities. It’s never been about legacy. I hope people say and write kind things about me, but it’s not for me to define.” community,” Napoli said. “So that all came together pretty nicely, and I started to pursue a career in sports.”

Napoli moved to Canton, Ohio to work with the Canton Indians, a minor league baseball team. Seeking a larger, midsize market, Napoli then moved to Toledo in the early 90s to work with the Toledo Mud Hens. Joe left the area for a few years to work with the Chicago Bulls and the Detroit Tigers.

The experiences in Chicago and Detroit made Napoli realize that Toledo is where he wanted to be, so he returned to work for the Mud Hens and was a catalyst for the development of Fifth Third Field, the Mud

Walleye to work towards. These organizations believe that high performance at work comes from the ability to balance professional endeavors with a robust home life.

Part of Napoli’s dedication to his family and his work means implementing family style events across the Mud Hens and Walleye schedule. The experiences are accessible to all people, particularly for grandparents, parents and children to have a nice bonding experience.

“I think our (management) team does a remarkable job of recognizing that every age group experiences the Mud Hens, the Walleye and Hens-