Charlie Eshbach, Portland Sea Dogs founding President and General Manager, named Portland Regional Chamber’s 2018-19 Leadership in Economic Development award recipient

The Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce announced Thursday, January 24, that Charlie Eshbach, founding President and General Manager of the Portland Sea Dogs, is its award recipient for Leadership in Economic Development. Eshbach will receive his award at the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce’s annual event, Imagine Portland, January 30 at Brick South, On Thompson’s Point in Portland.

Charlie Eshbach was the Sea Dogs first employee and founding President & General Manager of the franchise. He is the primary visionary of the Sea Dogs brand and builder of the franchise. Eshbach was the President of the Eastern League when Sea Dogs Founder Dan Burke hired him to lead his franchise, returning baseball to the City of Portland for the first time since 1949.

Under Eshbach's leadership, the Sea Dogs have been one of the Eastern League's model franchises. In the team's inaugural season in 1994, the Sea Dogs led the league in attendance attracting over 375,000 fans and 25 seasons later still consistently rank among the league's attendance leaders.

The Sea Dogs were awarded the 1999 Freitas Award, which is presented by Baseball America to honor the best operators in Minor League Baseball. In 2000, the Sea Dogs won the John H. Johnson President's Trophy, which is Minor League Baseball's top honor presented to the complete baseball franchise based upon franchise stability, contributions to the league, contributions to baseball in the community and promotion of the baseball industry.
In 1995, Eshbach co-founded the Strike Out Cancer in Kids program which has raised over $4,000,000 for the Maine Children's Cancer program.

About Imagine Portland
Imagine Portland is the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce’s annual event and award presentation. Each year the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce names an award winner in four categories: Leadership in the Private Sector, Leadership in the Public Sector, Leadership in Economic Development, and a Visionary Volunteer of the Year. Last year the event drew more than 800 people from the Portland Region.