ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - The St. Louis Cardinals are bringing in a Washington University graduate to be a important executive on the business side of the club.
On Wednesday, the club announced they have hired Anuk Karunaratne as the club's new Senior Vice President for Business Operations. Karunaratene was previously a part of the Toronto Blue Jays franchise, most recently serving as executive VP of business operations alongside Marnie Starkman. He joined the organization in 2017, as Vice President and Senior Vice President, Strategy & Analytics for the Blue Jays. He served in that role until 2020.
Sportsnet Blue Jays reporter Shi Davidi was the first to report that Karunaratne was joining the Cardinals.
As part of Karunaratne's duties, he will oversee the team's ticketing, marketing, corporate sales/partnerships, broadcasting and business analytics departments, while working with others across the organization to develop strategic planning functions for the team's various business and stadium operations.
Karunaratne will replace Dan Farrell held in the club, who retired in October 2023 and was the Cardinals Senior Vice President for Sales and Marketing. Farrell was a part of the Cardinals organization for more than 40 years, beginning way back in 1982.
"We are very excited to have Anuk join the Cardinals front office," said Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III in a statement. "While he will have big shoes to fill in taking on the many responsibilities that Dan Farrell held in his 40-plus years with the Cardinals, Anuk comes to us with a wealth of experience and success in both business and baseball."
While Karunaratne is a native of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, he went to school in St. Louis, earning a Bachelors of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering from Washington University followed by a position as a research assistant at the University's School of Medicine.
Karunaratne was recognized as one of the Sports Business Journal's" Forty Under 40" last year and among his credits include helping shape the fan experience at the newly renovated Rogers Centre and improving the team's off-field direction—while also navigating the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic and leading the club through the logistics of playing in three different venues in three different cities during the 2021 season, including in Buffalo, New York and Dunedin, Florida that season.
