Carter to sell part of the Generals

Waynesboro Generals co-owner Jerry Carter told The News Virginian on Monday that he would be selling off the minority share of the organization to members of the community, hoping to increase “civic pride” in the team.

Carter said he is offering 100 shares at $1,000 each to fans, businesses and members of the community. When Carter and fellow co-owner John Leonard assumed control of the team from Jim Critzer, Carter immediately said the team was and never would be his team — labeling himself the caretaker.

“This goes back to our slogan — ‘Your town. Your team,’ ” Carter said. “When Jim Critzer called me, he wanted his ball club treated with respect and to remain in Waynesboro. I had to be able to see who is serious to move forward with the team.”

Carter said that the decision to sell the minority stake had nothing to do with the team finances.

“It goes in the other direction,” he said. “I know on the field we didn’t achieve the things Waynesboro is accustomed to, but off the field we couldn’t do any better. We are not cutting back, we are moving forward. It’s out of belief.”

As of Monday afternoon, 16 shares in the team had been sold, primarily to people already affiliated with the organization.

“We wanted to continue in the tradition that the owners leading up to ... [and including] Mr. Critzer filled in Waynesboro,” Carter said. “The easiest way for us to do that is to get more hands involved, to get more people on board. By them having a stake in ownership, they are not helping me, but themselves and their community.”

Included in the first round of shareholders are Beth Tipton, Scott McDevitt, Brian and Diane Lundstrom, Chris and Crystal Graham, Josh and Sabrena Deal, John Leonard and Mary McDermott.

McDevitt said he wanted to become part of the Waynesboro Generals because of its role in the community.

“We have been involved for about ten years hosting kids and we think it’s part of the community in Waynesboro, and most of all we have fun being involved with the team,” he said.

After the 100 shares are sold, Carter will remain as the team’s majority shareholder and will continue running the day-to-day operations of the front office.

Leonard will remain with the organization as a member of the minority shareholders’ group.

“I couldn’t have gone into this season without the support and the efforts of John Leonard.” Carter said. “With his schedule and his family obligations, he went above and beyond everything I needed. We know he will stay involved at some level.”

The minority shareholders, Carter hopes, will take an active role in the organization, contributing to its overall success.

“The VBL [Valley Baseball League] is at a crossroads,” Carter said. “This is about taking pride in a baseball team.”

Carter said he always wanted to let the community be involved in the ownership of the team, but wanted to wait until after the new leadership’s first season at the helm.

“There were too many things we wanted to tweak. We needed to find people with the club’s well-being as their soul motivation,” he said.

Carter also hopes he can draw into the new group members of the Waynesboro High School family, including Little Giants baseball coach and long-time school athletic supporter Weber Payne.

“The next name I want on this list is Weber Payne,” Carter said. “I believe there is a mutual interest there that is important as anything we do. We share the field, the press box, we shared [an equipment] shed. We need to create a relationship that has the means for us to build our relationship with the school and [Superintendent Robin] Crowder. We have had conversations and I feel that we will get that to happen.”