Canaries Front Office
Mr. Slipka, through True North Equity Partners, is the managing partner of more than a dozen independent small businesses throughout the upper Midwest. They include businesses such as Honour Capital, Sunbelt Business Advisors, Contact Cartage, Twin City Metal Seal, and Transport Designs. Along with his wife, he is a co-founder of The Slipka Foundation, which focuses on education, community involvement, and character-building. Through the foundation, the Slipka's provide scholarships to high school and college students, fund multiple park renovations and community improvements, and support character-building programs and leadership development initiatives for youth and young adults.
Mr. Albanese is the co-founder of a national leading men’s grooming company, Duke Cannon Supply Co. He and fellow co-founder Sam Swartz grew the company from conception to being recognized as one of the most highly respected and fastest-growing consumer goods brands in the country. Duke Cannon has created a cult-like consumer following both online and at key retail partners, such as Target, CVS, Carhartt, Duluth Trading, and Hy-Vee. Duke Cannon products are made in the USA and the company donates a portion of all proceeds to veterans’ causes. The company recently partnered with strategic investment firm Main Post Partners to accelerate long-term growth and Mr. Albanese remains the company’s brand innovation leader. Previously, he served as a marketing leader at PepsiCo, on the Gatorade brand, and worked as a consultant at the Boston Consulting Group.
Check Out Duke Cannon's Amazing Products: www.dukecannon.com
Jack is the Executive Vice President of True North Sports and the Sioux Falls Canaries.
Duell Higbe enters his tenth season with the Sioux Falls Canaries, and first season as the Vice President of Baseball and Stadium Operations. Higbe joined the organization prior to the 2013 season as a Stadium Operations Intern before joining the staff full time as the Assistant GM. He served as General Manager for 6 seasons beginning in 2016.
Higbe played college baseball for Iowa Western Community College, making two trips to the D1 Junior College World Series in Grand Junction, CO. His teams finished 5th in the country in 2008, and 9th in 2009.
The Austin, MN native earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Sport Management with a minor in Exercise Science from Mayville State University.
He and his wife Kate have one daughter, Lennon, who was born opening weekend of the 2018 season. When not in the office, Higbe likes to spend time in the gym and the outdoors.
Jack enters his first season as a sales executive in the Canaries front office, after previously serving as a sales intern. Jack currently attends Augustana University and is majoring in Business Administration and Finance. When Jack is not in the office or school he enjoys Traveling, playing sports such as basketball and skiing, and is an avid concert-goer.
Sebastian was born and raised on the Northside of Chicago. In May of 2022, he will receive his Sport Management degree at Northern Illinois University. Prior to working at the Canaries, he worked at his university’s recreation center as a facility supervisor. He also spent some time with the Chicago Dogs baseball team as a ticket sales intern. He is currently a graduate student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign studying Recreation, Sport, and Tourism.
In his free time, Sebastian enjoys spending time with his family and friends. He also enjoys watching sports, working out, and watching documentaries.
Preston enters his first season as a Sales Executive in the Canaries front office, after moving from the Twin Cities where he worked as a Membership Specialist at a local community center. Preston graduated with a degree in Sport Management from Minnesota State University-Mankato in the summer of 2021 where he also interned for the Mankato MoonDogs as a Promotions Intern. When Preston is not in the office he enjoys reading, working out, and spending quality time with his friends and family
Jakob was born and raised in Okoboji, Iowa. In the spring of 2022, He graduated from South Dakota State University with a major in General Studies and a minor in Sports Recreation Administration. I worked for South Dakota State athletic department as a game day operation intern for football, basketball, and baseball. He also served as a game day operation intern for the Sioux Falls Canaries in the summer of 2020. In his free time he enjoy hanging out with friends, family, and my dog Wrigley.
Whitney enters her first season as the Events and Activation Coordinator. In 2021 she graduated from the University of South Dakota with a Strategic Communications degree. Whitney wanted a career where she could get involved with the community and build relationships, while still getting to do strategic planning/engagement – this is exactly what she found at the Canaries!
Outside of work, Whitney enjoys exploring new places, staying active and spending time with family and friends.
Ali was born and raised in Sioux Falls, SD. Lindner enters her first season on the full-time staff of the Sioux Falls Canaries as a Gameday Operations Coordinator. She previously worked as a Gameday Intern in the summer of 2021 and a Game Operations and Activation intern in the spring of 2022.
Lindner graduated from the University of Minnesota in May of 2022, with a Sports Management BS degree. While attending the University of Minnesota, she played college softball all four years and appeared at the Women’s College World Series her freshman year.
In her free time, Ali enjoys being around friends and family. She also enjoys being outside, traveling, and listening to music.
Being Harry Canary and other eccentric characters at Canaries games like "Sweet Caroline" crooner Neil Diamond...'s nephew Doug, Kenny Chesney's not-so-identical twin brother Denny (Some of the biceps, none of the talent), and Jon Bon Jovi's distant French cousin Jauques is the most fun John has ever had on a job.
But making sure fans leaving The Birdcage with a smile on their faces and eagerness to come back soon is a role the veteran sports radio host takes seriously and relishes.
The Omaha native and University of Nebraska alumnus spent the 2020 season and 2020-21 offseason as the team's Media Director, bringing over 20 years of radio, TV, and sportswriting experience to the team's branding on both social media and traditional outlets. Before that, John spent 15 years coming to The Birdcage as a casual fan and looks forward to introducing more fresh in-game entertainment to compliment the traditional family fun each Canaries game provides.
Tanner is entering his 1st season as the broadcaster and the voice of the Sioux Falls Canaries.
Tanner is also the play-by-play voice of Golden Gopher volleyball and studio host for Golden Gopher football on the University of Minnesota’s Learfield radio network.
His background in baseball includes play-by-play for the Duluth Huskies, appearing as a guest broadcaster on the Notre Dame baseball radio network and his sit-down interview with Minnesota Twins broadcaster Dick Bremer won the Intercollegiate Broadcasting Systems Golden Microphone award.
A fun fact about Tanner is that his younger brother, Brayden, plays football at Augustana University.
Randy is the stadium voice of the Canaries. He started as a backup announcer for the team in July of 2012.
His dulcet, high-energy tones can be heard nightly as he announces the batters, reads multiple commercials, banters with the on-field hosts and announces every airplane as it flies over the stadium. From his perch in the press box, he works with the operations team, DJ and producer planning and coordinating the between inning events at every Canaries game.
Randy's announcing experience includes multiple years with Sioux Falls Youth Hockey as well as the Sioux Falls Stampede. He takes pride in being an integral part of the game day experience for Sioux Falls sports fans over 80 nights a year.
Randy grew up on a farm near Battle Creek, Iowa and is an alumnus of Westmar College in LeMars, Iowa. He has been married for 40 years to his wife Nancy and they have two adult children, Kayla and Trevor. He enjoys cooking, hockey, baseball and auto racing. "Let's Play Ball!!"
Nicole earned an Associates of Arts in Accounting and a Bachelor’s of Science in Business with an emphasis towards Human Resource Management from University of Phoenix, Axia Online College. From 2012 – 2022 she worked as the Director of Operations for the American Holistic Nurses Association where she became a Certified Meeting Professional and was recognized by Conventions South Magazine as a “VIP Meeting Pro to watch in 2017”. She has been quoted in the meetingmagazines.com, meetingsandconventions.com as well as others. Additionally, she has presented topics on Nurse Bully (2015), Smartphones (2017) and “Revamping Your Website on a Dime”. While living in Kansas, Nicole volunteered with Wichita Meeting Planner Advisory Group, Kansas Society of Area Executives on the Conference Committee and with The Kansas Nurses Foundation as a Public Board Trustee.
Matt leads the sales team and encourages all to visit the ballpark for a 1 of a kind experience. Matt Ferguson started in sports in 2010 with Sioux Falls Sports as an account executive working with both the Sioux Falls Stampede and the Sioux Falls Canaries. He advanced through the company and served as Director of Sales, Vice President of Sales and General Manager of the Canaries baseball team over the next 5 years. After leaving Sioux Falls Sports in 2015, he joined Tom Garrity and his company, Quan Sports Marketing as the EVP of Team Business Operations. During his tenure with Quan, he has worked with teams across junior, minor pro, and professional levels. Matt has overseen team acquisition and business operations for partnership teams with a focus on ticket sales, sponsorship sales, staffing, and sales culture.
Matt is from South Dakota and has lived and worked in Sioux Falls for the last 20 years. He enjoys spending time with his wife Denise, his son Blake and twin daughters Evelyn and Emeline, along with time on the range putting holes in paper.
Jess comes to us with over 10 years of experience as a chef, several of those including catering and concessions as well as having owned her own food truck, Bite Me Mobile Bistro. She is passionate about all things food and loves to challenge the status quo. Mother to 3 boys, she is well versed in madness and mayhem and is excited to be a part of this new chapter with the Sioux Falls Canaries.
Siobhan is entering her 1st year with the Canaries and brings over 15 years management and restaurant experience. She is excited to be working with Jess and the team on making everyone's time at the ballpark "foodtastic". She is a native of the Iowa Great Lakes Region and moved to Sioux Falls in 2008. She is passionate about people and happily spoils her two nephews as often as possible.
#0
Hometown: Sioux Falls, SD
Throws/Bats: Right Wing/Right Wing
Weight: 195 pounds
Height: 6’ 8”
Favorite Movie: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Favorite Video Game: Angry Birds
Favorite Song: Bird is the Word
Role Model: Big Bird
Hometown: Sioux Falls, SD
Throws/Bats: Right Wing/Right Wing
Weight: 195 pounds
Height: 6’ 8”
Favorite Movie: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Favorite Video Game: Angry Birds
Favorite Song: Bird is the Word
Role Model: Big Bird
Peep is back for his 10th season with the Canaries after nesting with Cagey down South over the winter. Peep couldn't wait to get back to cheer on the Canaries and flap around the birdcage making people laugh.
Giving feathery hugs and pecks on the cheek, taking pictures with the fans, and giving high fives are what he does best!
He can also shake his tail feather...and the splits and the worm are just the beginning of his dance moves!
If you see Peep flying by the Peep mobile or hover board, you might want to step out of the way - he is a bird after all!
Cagey and Peep have hatched some fun plants for this summer - you never know what these cracked up Birds will be up to.
Hometown: Sioux Falls
Height: Short, but growing fast! (It's a touchy subject!)
Weight: Light as a feather
Bats: Ahh! Scared of bats! they are ugly with big, sharp teeth!
Throws: Strikes, fits, tantrums!
Hatch Date: 8-1-13
Favorite Food: Sunflower seeds
