Sept. 21, 2010

GREENVILLE, N.C. - Haig Lea has been appointed Director of Ticket Sales at East Carolina University according to an announcement from Assistant Athletics Director for Marketing and Ticketing Scott Wetherbee Tuesday.

Lea's acceptance of the new post marks the Greenville native's return to eastern North Carolina after a five-year tenure with the Carolina Mudcats, a Class AA affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds.

For the last four seasons, he directed a Mudcats' group sales effort that consistently produced revenue increases, including a 25 percent jump during his initial year of leadership in 2007. In addition to meeting account management initiatives and maintaining customer service satisfaction, Lea, 28, also was responsible for the planning and game-day execution of the club's corporate and group events for local businesses and organizations.

Lea, who headed the training and supervision of the group sales team, interns and a 10-member game-day employee staff, also assisted the team's box office with preseason and daily ETIX Ticketing program operations.

Before earning a promotion to director's status in March, 2007, he spent two months as a group sales associate, which followed a one-season stint as assistant manager of food and beverage at Five County Stadium. In that role, Lea was charged with maintaining and controlling inventory for all concession areas and corporate suites at the 7,000-capacity facility, while providing direct oversight for seven food-selling locations, the main kitchen and a workforce of up to 65 individuals.

Lea, who has already assumed his duties, is a 2004 graduate of East Carolina, where he earned a B.S. degree in business administration. He followed with a master's degree in exercise and sport science from ECU in 2006, and is currently pursuing a master's in business administration.