Naomi Silver

President, CEO, COO, Rochester Red Wings

Years in current role: 15

What was your biggest success in 2021?

Being able to once again provide Red Wings baseball to the community after the COVID hiatus of 2020.

What are your expectations for 2022?

I expect to continue to re-build and ramp back up to pre-COVID levels of employment, revenues and spending. I mention spending especially because a lot of local businesses count on our business, which had to be scaled back to get through the last two years. We will be glad to return to being a thriving member of the community.

What is your biggest takeaway from dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic?

My biggest takeaway over the last two years is that I will never forget the outpouring of support that we received from people throughout the community. It was truly incredible. From avid fans to casual fans, we heard from so many people who expressed their well-wishes and empathy, and who reached out just to say how much they missed the experience and the camaraderie of coming out to a game. I have always known that the Red Wings meant a lot to our community, but this period of time gave us an amplified sense of how much sports – and togetherness – mean to the human spirit.

What is your favorite thing about the Rochester community?

My favorite thing about the Rochester Community is the people. The members of this community are warm and welcoming, and who like to get out and enjoy all that Rochester has to offer. I consider myself a people-person, and enjoy meeting new folks, engaging in conversation, and getting to know them. I guess I’m in the right business for that! Six months of the year I’m at the ballpark, with the opportunity to be with friends, old and new, from all over, and from all walks, and I love it!

This profile is part of Rochester Business Journal's Power 100 list for 2022. Information used in this profile was sourced from the honoree. View the full list at rbj.net.