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wbjournal.com | February 10, 2025 | Worcester Business Journal 13 By the time her grad school gradu- ation rolled around, her attention was solely on the PawSox. Despite others telling her she should go to the ceremo- ny, her focus was on that day's game. Starting full time as an assistant to the director of merchandising in 2015, Cooper quickly worked her way up the ranks. By 2019, as the team was prepar- ing to make the move to Worcester it announced the previous year, Cooper was vice president of marketing. Aer the club's move to Worcester in 2021, she received her fourth promotion in six years when she was named the club's senior vice president and assistant general manager in 2022. e WooSox's 2023 sale to Diamond Baseball Holdings, a New York-based sports ownership group, which has snatched up more than 40 Minor League Baseball franchises since its formation in 2021, ended up presenting another opportunity for career growth. With former WooSox General Manag- er Dan Rea III moving on to a position with Diamond Baseball, the firm's CEO Peter Freund asked Steinberg in a phone call who he had in mind to fill the posi- tion. Cooper was his first choice. Freund "came into town, met with her and said, 'I see what you mean. I get it. She's terrific,'" Steinberg said. "I had known Brooke for nine years at that point. What I didn't know was that putting her in the leadership position of executive vice president, general manag- er would actually create an environment where her leadership skills could flourish even more." Stepping up to the plate Cooper was named to general manag- er and executive vice president in March. Despite being in her early 30s and her status as the first woman in the role in the franchise's history, those who work with her say she instantly took to the role. Cooper's ability to read the room made her the perfect leader in the midst of an ownership change and around the time of the passing of Larry Lucchino, said Jack Verducci, executive vice president/corporate part- nerships & sales of the WooSox. A longtime baseball executive, Lucchino was the club's principal owner before the sale and was still heavily involved in operations when he passed away in April. "She had that emotional intelligence to understand this isn't necessarily business as usual," Verducci said, referencing Diamond Baseball's purchase and Lucchino's passing. "People may be insecure about their jobs, and it was just a lot of change, which can be uncomfortable. But I knew Brooke could take on this challenge." As general manager of the franchise, her day-to-day life varies, particular- ly when comparing the season to the off-season. As a minor league GM, the focus is on the business side of opera- tions, rather than managing players. e season is dominated by the fast- paced nature of game day operations, while the off-season allows time for Cooper to lead the charge in finding clever new ways to entice fans to the ballpark. e mother of two young sons in an industry still largely led by men, Cooper credits her husband Ellis Cooper with playing a key role in helping her balance her family obligations with the realities of a career, where rain delays and make-up days can wreak havoc on one's plans. "Baseball has no time clock, right?," she said. "So you never know. It could be a quick game, and you're out in a little over two hours; or you could … have a rain delay, and six hours later and you're just wrapping up." The next inning While minor league general managers focus most of their attention on the busi- ness side of operations, Cooper's position working for a club one step away from Major League Baseball and the Boston Red Sox lead to frequent interactions with Brian Abraham. A Worcester native and College of the Holy Cross graduate, Abraham works as the Boston Red Sox's director of player development. With Cooper trying to put the most entertaining product on the field at Polar Park and Abraham focused on what's best for Boston, there could be conflict. Instead, Abraham says working with Cooper is easy. "We have constant communication about doing what is best for the affili- ate in Worcester and for the fans in the community, but also, most importantly from my perspective, the players and the coaches so they can maximize their abili- ty to ultimately get to Boston," he said. Abraham admires Cooper's ability to be reasonable yet confident in her role. "She's a great communicator, she's open, she's honest, and she's willing to have tough conversations with our staff or her staff, to make sure that we're putting the player and the coaches at the forefront, on top of making sure that she is fulfilling her duties as general manag- er," he said. e sports news publication e Ath- letic ranked the Red Sox's farm system as the second best in all of baseball for 2025, meaning Cooper and Abraham likely will have many conversations about players coming and going from Worcester. Considering her rapid rise through the ranks of the Boston Red Sox's top minor league team, it's fair to assume Cooper might follow in the footsteps of WooSox players and be called up to the majors. For now, she's more than content in Worcester and focused on personal growth. "I'm really happy with where I am right now with our organization and the support we get in the city of Worcester," Cooper said. "It's tough for me – who's usually a type-A planner – but for some reason in my career, I've very much just gone with the flow, and it's worked out. I can't say I'd ever be against working for a major league team, but that's not my goal." W F O C U S Women are among our company's leadership Female underrepresentation among business leadership continues to be an issue on a global scale. Locally, none of Central Massachusetts' 20 highest-paid CEOs are women, and three women are among the region's 18 highest-paid nonprofit chief executives. Female representation is improving within the C-suite, particularly in specific sectors. For example, half of the region's 20 largest human services nonprofits are led by women, including the largest five. When polled online, more than three-fourths of WBJ readers said a woman occupies a top leadership position at their organizations. Are any of your organization's top three leadership positions held by a woman? Jack Verducci, WooSox executive vice president/ corporate partnerships & sales Yes 76% No 24% Brooke Cooper has ascended from the role of intern to general manager of the WooSox in nine years.