Five members of the Houston Dynamo front office were honored with Major League Soccer awards at Saturday's MLS Cup Gala. Of the nine individual awards presented, five were won by Dynamo employees.
The league's most prestigious front office award, the Doug Hamilton Executive of the Year award, went to Dynamo Chief Operating Officer Chris Canetti for the first time. Now in his ninth season in Major League Soccer, Canetti completed his third year as COO of the Dynamo and oversees all aspects of the organization.
Other Dynamo winners were Paul Byrne, Operations Director of the Year; Lindsay Daywalt, Marketing Director of the Year; Theron Enns, Athletic Trainer of the Year; and Nick Kowba, Team Administrator of the Year. Enns was also Trainer of the Year with Colorado in 2002, and Kowba won his second consecutive Administrator of the Year award.
The Dynamo were also honored as the league's Corporate Partnership Team of the Year. Senior account executive Vanessa Meeks finished in the league's Best XI for group ticket sales.
The Houston Dynamo will conclude their 2008 season with a CONCACAF Champions League match against Luis Angel Firpo at Robertson Stadium on Wednesday, November 26. The Dynamo need a win to advance to the quarterfinals, while Firpo can advance with a tie. For more information, please log on to www.HoustonDynamo.com or call (713) 276-7500.
2008 AWARD WINNERS
Doug Hamilton Executive of the Year:
Chris Canetti (Houston Dynamo)
Marketing Director of the Year:
Lindsay Daywalt (Houston Dynamo)
Operations Director of the Year:
Paul Byrne (Houston Dynamo)
Community Relations Executive of the Year:
Aprile Pritchet and Sara Peterson (D.C. United)
Corporate Partnerships Executive of the Year:
Chris Shewfelt (Toronto FC)
Corporate Partnerships Team of the Year:
Houston Dynamo
MLS Equipment Manager of the Year:
Raul Vargas (Los Angeles Galaxy)
Athletic Trainer of the Year presented by Mueller Sports Medicine:
Theron Enns (Houston Dynamo)
MLS Team Administrator of the Year presented by New Haven Travel:
Nick Kowba (Houston Dynamo)
MLS Team Public Relations Award:
Chivas USA
Best XI, Total Ticket Revenue:
Scott Miller (D.C. United)
Greig Young (Toronto FC)
Matt O'Brien (Toronto FC)
Chris Zepeda (Los Angeles Galaxy)
Evan Mitz (FC Dallas)
Marcos Serioux (Toronto FC)
Bill Sixsmith (Chicago Fire)
Dan Giffin (D.C. United)
Roy Tewell (FC Dallas)
Mike Quarino (New York Red Bulls)
Asif Hossain (Toronto FC)
Best XI, New Season Ticket Sales:
Mike Mondello (New York Red Bulls)
Matt O'Brien (Toronto FC)
Evan Mitz (FC Dallas)
Matthew Harber (FC Dallas)
Steve Peterson (Real Salt Lake)
Scott Miller (D.C. United)
Avin Assomull (Columbus Crew)
Roy Tewell (FC Dallas)
Asif Hossain (Toronto FC)
James Cawley (New York Red Bulls)
Andrew Lukanich (Real Salt Lake)
Best XI, Group Ticket Sales:
Scott Miller (D.C. United)
Mike Quarino (New York Red Bulls)
Chris Zepeda (Los Angeles Galaxy)
Marcus Myrick (Colorado Rapids)
Roy Tewell (FC Dallas)
Bill Sixsmith (Chicago Fire)
Evan Mitz (FC Dallas)
Kevin Barney (New England Revolution)
Andrew Geist (Los Angeles Galaxy)
Vanessa Meeks (Houston Dynamo)
Chris Sivertsen (Colorado Rapids)
Rookie Salesperson of the Year:
New Season Ticket Sales, Andrew Lukanich (Real Salt Lake)
Group Ticket Sales, Rachel Hansen (New England Revolution)
Total Ticket Revenue, Laura Magee (Toronto FC)
Salesperson of the Year:
New Season Ticket Sales, Mike Mondello (New York Red Bulls)
Group Ticket Sales, Scott Miller (D.C United)
Total Ticket Revenue, Scott Miller (D.C. United)
Excellence, Season Ticket Retention:
D.C. United
Kansas City Wizards
Toronto FC
Ticket Sales Manager of the Year:
Tim Martin (Los Angeles Galaxy)
Ticket Sales Team of the Year:
Los Angeles Galaxy
