Derrick Hall

Derrick Hall has been a driving force behind the Arizona Diamondbacks Major League Baseball organization since its founding in 1998, leading the team to both on-the-field success and off-the-field impact.

Under Hall's leadership as Diamondbacks president and CEO, the franchise has grown as a sports industry leader. Hall successfully brought the Major League Baseball All-Star Game to Chase Field in 2011, creating a local economic impact of more than $67 million, showcasing the team and downtown Phoenix to a global audience.

Another standout accomplishment during Hall’s tenure was negotiating and designing Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, a state-of-the-art spring training facility shared with the Colorado Rockies. The complex, built on tribal land, has boosted the economic impact of spring training in the Valley. The facility received LEED-Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council in 2011, the first venue of its kind to achieve this designation.

“Hall's vision for Salt River Fields was to keep fan interaction with players a top priority while also ensuring maximum comfort for 11,000-plus visitors at the ballpark,” the organization said. “The main stadium is located in the middle of the facility to enable fans to mingle throughout and get an up-close look at D-backs players as they practice. A unique roof structure and a northeast-facing field allow for approximately 85% of the fans in all 7,000 fixed seats to be shaded as the game progresses.”

Hall and the Diamondbacks have also made a commitment to sustainability. The team installed a high-performance synthetic grass surface, becoming the first in Major League Baseball to do so, saving millions of gallons of water each season. The organization has also been recognized for its environmental efforts, receiving awards for diversion and sustainability.

Beyond his role with the Diamondbacks, Hall is actively involved in the community and serves on numerous boards and committees. He has chaired organizations such as Make-A-Wish America and the Valley of the Sun United Way and has been involved with initiatives related to cancer research, education and community development. Hall is a sought-after speaker, sharing his unique vision on leadership, customer service and culture with various groups and conventions.

He also is mindful of the time commitment that his role entails and he and wife have worked to find a balance and incorporate family time, Hall said.

“In our business, with six weeks of spring training, 162 regular season games, and a full off-season slate of long working days, we need to sacrifice time at home with the family,” Hall said. “There were many school recitals and youth sporting events that I missed over the years. In order to make up for that and to minimize the regret, my wife and I decided to bring the family to me. We brought the kids to my office and to games as often as possible to make up for lost time.”