CLEVELAND GUARDIANS ANNOUNCE LEADERSHIP TRANSITION IN BUSINESS OPERATIONS
Brian Barren to retire as President of Business Operations following 2026 season; Alex King promoted to succeed him**
CLEVELAND, OH — The Cleveland Guardians today announced Brian Barren will retire from his role as President of Business Operations at the conclusion of the 2026 Major League Baseball season, capping more than a decade of leadership with the organization. Upon Barren’s retirement, Alex King, currently Executive Vice President, Marketing and Brand Strategy, will be promoted to President of Business Operations. Barren will continue to serve as President of Business Operations through the end of the 2026 season and then as a Special Advisor through December 2026 before fully stepping away.
“Brian has been an incredible leader for our organization for nearly a decade and will leave the club’s business operations healthier than he found them,” said Paul Dolan, Guardians Chairman and CEO. “He has guided our business through some of the most significant changes in our history, and I am equally excited that Alex, a long-tenured and trusted leader, will step into the President role. I’m confident Alex will provide highly capable leadership for an already strong business operations team.”
The 2026 season will be Barren’s 13th with the Club and his 10th as President of Business Operations, a role in which he oversees all aspects of the club’s business functions. He joined the organization in January 2014 after 24 years at Procter & Gamble, and first served as Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing for three seasons before being elevated to his current position.
During his tenure, Barren has led the business operations team through transformational initiatives, including the franchise’s name change, significant revenue and attendance growth (Guardians drew over 2 million fans in back-to-back years in 2024-2025 for the first time since 2007-2008), a long-term lease extension and major ballpark renovation project, and ongoing media rights negotiations. He has been widely credited for stewarding organizational culture with a deep commitment to excellence, collaboration, and care for teammates across the organization.
“As I prepare to retire at the end of the 2026 season, it is with deep gratitude to the Dolan Family and my teammates here at the Cleveland Guardians. I could not have asked for a more meaningful and challenging place to finish my career,” said Brian Barren. “At the same time, I am looking forward to the next chapter and am completely confident that I am leaving this organization in great hands with Alex and our talented business operations team.”
King is entering his 16th season with the Guardians in 2026, with the campaign marking his 14th year leading the organization’s marketing efforts. In his current role as Executive Vice President, Marketing and Brand Strategy, he oversees all aspects of Brand, Marketing, Communications and Media Strategy for the business side of the organization.
During his tenure with the Guardians, King has worked closely with Barren and the senior leadership team on many of the organization’s most impactful initiatives, including our name change process, lease extension and ballpark renovations, significant revenue growth, and the club’s ongoing TV media rights transition.
Before joining the Guardians in 2011, King spent more than 10 years in marketing and branding, including brand management roles at Procter & Gamble. He earned his undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Dayton and later received his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, concentrating in Marketing and Finance.
“I am humbled and grateful for the opportunity to lead this incredible organization and appreciate the confidence ownership are placing in me,” said Alex King. “Having been part of the Guardians team since 2011, I know firsthand what a special place this is for our internal teammates and the unique role we have for our fans, partners and Northeast Ohio. I look forward to continuing the strong culture and values that we’ve established and building a fan experience that our community can be proud of.”
King serves on the board for the Boys and Girls Club of Northeast Ohio and resides in Shaker Heights, Ohio, with his wife, Kelly, and their daughters, Mallory and Lauren.
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