Women’s History Month Profile
SEATTLE -- Her office is stacked with swatches and samples. Whiteboards and cork boards line the walls, adorned with colorful notes marking the status of projects, photos of a family of four, and a card that says “Mom.”
Mariners director of merchandising Renée Steyh sits at her desk in the middle of it all -- a reflection of her 15-year career with the Seattle Mariners and a reminder of the life she has built outside of the walls of T-Mobile Park.
Steyh has spent over a decade outfitting Mariners fans with their favorite jerseys, T-shirts, and caps, arming them with collectibles, tangible tokens of their fandom and nostalgic pieces to hand down to the next generation. Prior to her role with the Mariners, Steyh worked as a visual merchandising lead at The Gap during her time studying at the University of Washington. After graduating, she joined the team at Macy’s as an assistant buyer.
While she was interested in fashion and trend forecasting, Steyh had long sought to be involved in something that brought people together.
“I always wanted to work for a community-based organization,” says Steyh. “Even though the Mariners aren’t a nonprofit organization, they still do a tremendous amount of work for the community.”
In 2007, she applied for a role with the Mariners, an organization she believed had the power to bring the community together in a meaningful way. Steyh was hired as an account coordinator in the sales department, getting a foot in the door working in baseball.
Three weeks into her role with the sales team, a position opened that better aligned with her skillset: Retail marketing manager and buyer for women and kids. Luckily, Steyh had internal advocates who knew this was a better path for her. She quickly pivoted to merchandising, where she's been leading and innovating ever since.
“I really like that I can do something I’m passionate about -- and work in fashion and retail -- but on a bigger scale, working for a company that has such value to society,” says Steyh.
Today, as the director of merchandising, her primary role is to buy merchandise that the Mariners sell in their team stores, forecasting trends to ensure fans are able to access the items they are most excited about, managing a team of buyers who are responsible for stocking the store with merchandise and memorabilia suited for casual fans and Season Ticket Members alike.
For Steyh, every day is different. “It's a meeting with different MLB licensees, where we are purchasing product that we think fans will want to buy from us. I oversee the department, and I also personally buy the adult categories. I also oversee all the retail marketing initiatives and oversee the overall vision of how to promote the Mariners Team Store, which is almost its own unique brand.
“The new challenge is that so much retail has shifted to online shopping. So we are always trying to come up with new and innovative products that fans can only buy at the Team Store. We understand our fans better than anyone else. We understand the nuances and trends of what works in Seattle, specifically.”
Aside from staying on top of the latest trends, it’s imperative Steyh and her staff are up to date on all team-related slogans, new nicknames, player performance, and moments that may make their way into Mariners lore.
“If a player is hot or comes up with a quirky nickname, those are also trends that I have to quickly identify and bring into the market when it’s still relevant. I have to be super aware of team performance and new players on the team. For example, when Jarred Kelenic got called up last year we were scrambling to get his jersey in the store,” says Steyh.
With stores open year-round and the span of a 162-game season, Steyh’s job can be demanding and high-pressured. “It’s fast-paced. It can be crazy. You’re doing many things at once.” Luckily, Steyh is a pro at balancing more than one task at a time -- a skill she honed both in the office and at home.
Steyh is a mother of two, 8-year-old Cameron and 5-year-old Avery. When reflecting on how she navigates her responsibilities at the ballpark with everything else she has to do, Steyh remarked, “It has taught me how to multitask to the extreme. There’s work multitasking, and there’s Mom multitasking. It’s another level. But I have a personality where I thrive in that environment.”
While the balancing act is difficult, Steyh advocates for open and honest conversations about the challenges of being a parent in the modern working world. On top of work tasks, there’s birthday parties, figuring out after-school snacks, and parent/teacher conferences. But she makes it work.
“For every woman who chooses to have a demanding career and chooses to have children, know that it is completely possible to do both without making concessions," Steyh said. "You do not have to choose one or the other. You can do both. It’s also okay to not be perfectly balanced. But you can absolutely have both.”
Her multitasking and leadership have led to a fruitful career and a lifetime of memories in the Mariners front office. Steyh’s greatest professional achievement is winning the MLB Retailer of the Year award in 2014. At the time, Steyh was in her former role as a retail marketing manager and buyer, and many of the retail marketing initiatives that she implemented were key factors in the Mariners being crowned the winners.
The award was "based on a combination of sales, vendor/customer feedback and creative marketing and merchandising efforts."
After nearly 15 years working at T-Mobile Park, one of her favorite parts of the job is seeing fans of all ages embrace the gear she helped stock in the store. “There is something symbolic about wearing an item that shows you’re a fan without even saying a word. That’s rewarding. Especially when you see it on kids and that next generation of fans.”
The excitement of seeing kids at the ballpark includes her own. “Working here, at least there is the option to include your kids. It is a family-friendly environment. The more I can incorporate bringing my kids to the office, and to the games, the more they can understand why Mommy is working so much, and that this is her work.”
Alongside her accolades and awards, Steyh hopes that her kids can at least think that “Mom has a cool job.”
Steyh has helped create Mariners fans across the Pacific Northwest, newcomers and lifelong Seattle residents alike.
The most dedicated Mariners fans she's inspired, perhaps, are her own. One thing's for certain: Avery and Cameron couldn't be more proud of their mom and her fast-paced, demanding, but ultimately very “cool” job.