Rau named American Association Executive of the Year

FARGO, N.D.  – Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks general manager Matt Rau has been voted the 2020 American Association Executive of the Year, as announced by the league today. Rau was selected for the honor in a vote by the league’s managers, media representatives and team executives.

The RedHawks finished the 2020 season with a record of 28-32 in a season that was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides playing a 60 game season (instead of 100), this year was also unique as it stared out with only six teams, playing in three hub cities (Fargo, Sioux Falls, SD and Franklin, WI).

But as crowd restrictions were lifted in other cities, Fargo was the only hub city left as the US and Canadian border remained closed. In a regular season that lasted only two months, the RedHawks and Winnipeg Goldeyes played a combined 51 home games at Newman Outdoor Field.

Now in his third season as the RedHawks general manager, Rau had previously worked for Learfield Communications in St. Cloud, MN as the general manager of St. Cloud State Sports Properties. Before working for Learfield, Rau had worked in Kinston, NC (Class-A Cleveland Indians), Omaha, NE (AAA Kansas City Royals) and Dubuque, IA (United States Hockey League).

A Fargo native, Rau attended North Dakota State University and played baseball for the Bison. He finished his degree and graduated from Ashford University (IA), Rau His career in sports started with the RedHawks, working on the grounds crew while attending NDSU.

This is the first time that Rau has won the league award and is only the RedHawks second general manager to be awarded Executive of the Year by the American Association as former general manager and current league executive director Josh Buchholz won in 2012.