When Mike Mazza was 24 years old, he was working as a bank teller and trying to figure out what to do with his life. He had graduated from college, needed health insurance, and was looking for stability. A career with the Chicago White Sox — let alone a future as Vice President of Ticket Operations — was nowhere on the horizon.
Looking back now, almost 40 years later, Mike sees the entire journey through a different lens. "It wasn't my plan," he says. "It was God's plan."
Mike (center) celebrates his 60th birthday with his brother Louis, his father Joe, his mother Irene and brother Anthony.
One of the bank’s regular customers worked with the Chicago Bears and the ticket sellers union. He frequently stopped at Mike's window to cash his paycheck.
“He would always come to me and call me ‘kid,’” Mike recalls. “I would make small talk because my high school football coach was a scout at the Bears, so I made that connection, and then he would always come to me.”
Over time, those conversations became routine, but the customer was paying attention to more than football. Day after day, he watched the young teller interact with customers and approach the job with a level of diligence that stood out. Mike had developed a habit of balancing his cash drawer before every break and lunch hour, making life easier for those around him and earning a reputation for taking pride in doing things properly. Then one day, the customer made an unexpected suggestion.
“He said, ‘Hey kid, why don’t you put in some vacation time at the end of June and beginning of July to work the Taste of Chicago?’”
Mike agreed, not realizing the opportunity would change the course of his life.
For ten days, he worked the massive event.
“It was all cash back then,” Mike explains. “Hundreds of thousands of dollars. I sold coupons and balanced everybody out. And I balanced. He liked that.”
When the event ended, the man who had encouraged Mike to work the Taste of Chicago approached him with an offer to work for the Chicago White Sox on a seasonal basis.
“I told him I needed something full-time because I needed insurance,” Mike recalls. "He looked at me and said, ‘Kid, don’t worry. I’ll work it out.’”
Somehow, he did, and in 1987, Mike began what would become a nearly four-decade career with the White Sox organization.
“I was the low man on the totem pole in the ticket sellers union. Low, low man on the totem pole,” he says, laughing. “I was just a young kid. I got the nice [assignments], like to go get food or paperwork. At that time, our ticket office was off 35th Street, and the offices were upstairs. A lot of the guys didn’t want to go upstairs, so I would go up and get the paperwork. Back then, it was all paperwork.”
Mike continues, “They gave me jobs the other people didn’t want, so I took them on, like variable pricing and balancing people out. I learned from others who were willing to share.”
Over time, Mike developed a reputation for taking on challenges and finding solutions.
“Each time they gave me responsibilities, I tried to do the best I could,” he says. “It wasn't 100% all the time, but even when I failed, I learned.”
By 1991, Mike had moved into a supervisory role, and the opportunities continued to come.
The culture within the organization encourages that kind of growth. Mike credits Jerry Reinsdorf, Howard Pizer, Bob Devoy and Ed Cassin for creating an environment where mistakes became learning opportunities rather than career-ending events.
“If you made a mistake, that was okay. You didn’t get yelled at. You were shown the way not to do it again and the way to do it. You weren’t afraid to try and do things.”
Mike says many of the leadership lessons he carries today came from mentors who invested in him throughout his career.
“I’ve got several mentors. Bob Grim was the head of broadcasting here at the White Sox. He’s a great man. I still go to him for a lot of things. Bob Devoy, he was my boss. Tim Buzard, who’s my boss now. I go to Jerry Reinsdorf, Howard Pizer … Tony La Russa. Those people, I can just pick up the phone and call … Bobby Bertucci, who runs our patio. He’s got the biggest heart in the world, and he tells it like it is. I am also grateful to Michael Spidale, who asked me to be his oldest son’s Godfather, Bill Waters and Pete Catizone.”
Those relationships reinforced an important lesson: success in ticketing is rarely achieved alone. That philosophy would prove invaluable in 2003 when the White Sox found themselves preparing for one of the biggest events in baseball while simultaneously implementing a technology that would change the ticketing industry. The Major League Baseball All-Star Game was coming to Chicago. At the same time, the organization was introducing barcodes, which represented a major operational undertaking.
The challenge became even greater when Mike’s boss, Bob Devoy, was sidelined by a medical emergency for several months.
“We had to go from Tickets.com back to Ticketmaster, have the All-Star Game, and implement barcodes. I had to do all of that with him out for about three or four months and make sure that ran smoothly, which it did. I took it as a challenge.”
Two years later came one of the most memorable seasons in franchise history. The White Sox won the 2005 World Series, sweeping the Houston Astros in four games.
Today, Mike counts his championship ring among his most treasured possessions, although it was not the first one that he named.
“My Bible is my go-to,” he says. "The World Series ring is on the list because we all worked hard to get it. But the path to get to that ring was unreal. During that World Series run, we had some bad weather. You didn’t know if we were going to play or not. You had to adjust and make sure people got their tickets … and make sure that everything went smoothly in a nationally attended game that was a marquee event.”
In 2011, the team’s landlord, the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority, approached Mike with a question: was there a concert capable of filling the ballpark? At the time, Joel Osteen, one of the most recognizable Christian speakers in the world, was drawing large crowds to appearances across North America. Mike helped establish contact with Osteen’s organization and began working to bring the event to Chicago.
“People were telling me, ‘It is not going to sell, it’s not going to sell,’ and we ended up selling the whole place out. Over 35,000 people came and attended and got to listen about the Lord. It was one of the things I was always praying to God, like, use me for whatever you want, and that kind of opened up something.”
Mike with fellow volunteers at the Christian Life Center food pantry in Berwyn, Illinois, where he has volunteered for 18 years.
Whether he is overseeing a sold-out ballpark, helping a colleague, or supporting someone in need, Mike approaches leadership through the same lens.
“What you say and what you do [should be] similar,” he says. “What you’re asking your staff to do should be something you would do yourself … Coming from the bottom up, I was at the lowest [position] in the ticket office and worked my way up. I hope [my team] can appreciate that I’ve done the same things I’m asking them to do … I think that’s what resonates when you’re trying to build and develop a staff.”
Many of those lessons were reinforced at work, but their foundation was built much earlier at home. When asked who he admires most, Mike immediately talks about those closest to him.
“My older brother, Anthony, and my younger brother, Louis,” he says. “Besides raising great kids and having great wives, they served as police officers. My older brother for about 26 years, and my younger brother for 29 years. They served and were able to do their jobs really well. I’m not just bragging about them, but how they handled that, raised a family, and raised great kids. Those are the people I admire most directly.”
Mike, second from left, enjoying a game in Boston with his good friend Chris Olson and his brothers Louis and Anthony.
Family is a subject Mike returns to repeatedly throughout the conversation.
“I had my parents live with me for 18 great years, and I was able to see them and how they loved everybody. They truly showed their love for everybody, but with common sense, words of wisdom and straightforwardness. Sometimes it was hard to take for some people, but at least they knew the true meaning was that they cared about people.”
His father passed away a year ago, but the lessons remain close at hand. Later in the interview, when asked what advice he would give his younger self, Mike finds himself repeating advice his father gave him.
“Don't sweat the small stuff. That's a quote that a lot of people say, but going back in time, [I would tell myself to] just relax. And just work, keep working hard … In this business, you’re worried about everything that could go wrong instead of the things you put in to [make things] go right. My father would always say, ‘Relax, I see you do all the work, you put in time, and if anybody doesn’t like it…’ he has an Italian word for it, but I can't say it, I’m being recorded. I wish I had known that instead of [worrying], because having someone who can back you up with confidence is very key.”
Many of the values Mike learned from his family are rooted in his faith.
“The number one thing I should have said first was God. Having God as my role model and following Jesus. It’s the best kind of role model you can have.”
Those beliefs also influence what Mike looks for in other people.
“Having someone who really cares about what they do or how they treat others is really important. I think it is a good characteristic. You can see that in people and how they work, and outside of work, how they care about people and show concern for the people they’re with. Also, if they don’t know the person and see someone in need, they can help.”
He continues, “In a colleague, I value someone who is hardworking and also a team player. What I mean by team is not who is on the field. If some other department needs help, it doesn’t matter what type of ask they get from that colleague; they help out, and it’s really a team effort. When things go well on the field, we have to make sure things go well in the stands and with customers, so fans feel welcome when they come to our ballpark.”
Mike (right) and Michael Luteran at the Field of Dreams game in 2021.
And in friends, Mike values honesty every bit as much as loyalty.
“Not just giving me a yes answer. Telling me what I should be doing and not what I want to hear. I have a lot of close friends besides my brothers. I’m blessed to have great friends who tell me like it is. And also having church as my foundation, to go to people that I can ask for help when needed.”
When asked about the love of his life, Mike’s answer begins where many of them do.
“Well, the greatest love of my life is Jesus and God. But earthly here, it is my mom. My dad was, and then my brothers. And now I have my nieces and nephews, and great-nieces and great-nephews, so they’re the loves of my life … My parents taught us that family is first.”
Mike and his family.
That same perspective shapes the way Mike defines his greatest achievement. While many people in his position might point to a World Series championship or recent promotion, Mike's answer is noticeably different.
“Helping others and praying for them. Work stuff is work. I try to do my best. I have that kind of chip on my shoulder of maybe not being the brightest during school. I’ve worked hard to get [past] that … but praying for others and helping others. I try to do that every day.”
That commitment to helping others extends beyond the ballpark. For the past 15 years, Mike has served on the Triton College Foundation Board of Directors. Alongside his good friend Thomas Olson, President of the Triton College Board, Mike helps oversee the distribution of scholarships to qualified students.
Asked where he would most like to live, he doesn't mention a tropical beach or mountain retreat.
“Probably right where I’m at because I have family, and I’m here with my family. Of course, if you ask me in November or December, I may tell you something else. But throughout the whole year, right here is fine with me.”
Mike kneels in front of his parents, Joe and Irene; sister-in-law Mary; brothers Anthony and Louis; and sister-in-law Angela. Mike says, “These are the people I look up to.”
That answer is even easier to understand after hearing Mike talk about growing up in nearby Cicero, Illinois.
“I learned a lot there,” he says. “Besides schoolwork, I learned life there as well. It was one of the best places to live. And I still have my grammar school friends.”
The importance Mike places on faith and family shows up almost everywhere in his life, including the books he reads and the music he listens to. When the conversation turns to music, he doesn’t begin by talking about renowned artists or memorable concerts.
“I would have loved to play an instrument,” he says. “I see my nephew, Vincenzo. He can play the piano, guitar and just about any instrument. I’m in awe of that talent. I would love to have that. If I ever do retire, probably what I would like to do is play the cornet … When I was growing up, Chuck Mangione was the guy.”
Music remains a steady companion, and Mike’s tastes move comfortably between contemporary worship music and classic performers.
“One of my favorite songs is 'What a Beautiful Name,’” he says. “It’s a Hillsong Worship song. I play it a lot. For a [favorite] performer, there’s Andrea Bocelli, Dean Martin and of course Frank Sinatra. I listen to the band Chicago and also Journey. I happen to know Jonathan Cain from Journey, so that’s kind of close to me.”
Books occupy a similar place in Mike’s life. When asked about his favorite writers, he names “some of the apostles, Paul, Timothy and those types of writers of the Bible.” He also speaks highly of author Max Lucado, whose books he frequently recommends.
“He’s a Christian writer who helps with anxiety and stress, just normal day-to-day stuff and how to handle it. He would be one of my go-to guys when people ask me what they should read or to help with people, guiding them through any issues, good or bad, to help them get along.”
Away from the ballpark, Mike’s interests are remarkably simple. He enjoys fishing, admits he’s a terrible golfer, listens to music, reads the Bible and occasionally escapes to Marco Island, Florida.
“It’s a nice, quiet area, with very nice people. It’s not rushing around to get things done. I’m just sitting around and relaxing. I run, and then I’ll sit all day in the sun. Before I know it, you go have dinner and then ice cream.”
Then he laughs and adds, “But don’t tell anybody that, because everybody thinks I have a wild time, because I’m a single guy.”
While Mike enjoys the occasional getaway, the stories that mean the most to him are rarely about places. They involve people.
“I get the most joy knowing Christ, but with that comes helping others, and loving my family and friends. The other day, I helped somebody out. It was a little thing, but it made their life so happy … It was an autistic young man, and I got him tickets for a game. He was so happy and gave me a hug. That meant more than anything you can ever feel … Whatever bad day I’d had, he took it all away just by that hug.”
The same commitment to helping others has also shaped Mike's long involvement with INTIX.
“I’ve been bragging about INTIX for years, because I get to meet so many different people from so many different walks of the business. I remember one conference when I met someone from Malaysia who asked me how I do things in Chicago. He was doing a Madonna concert, and he was just wondering, how do I handle the stress of something like that? I told him to keep calm and gave him some words of advice on setting things up, taking the time to do it, [and said] don’t let people rush you.”
He continues, “I had explained to my boss why I went [to the INTIX conference] and why I would expense it. He understood when I would reach out to somebody that I know, or someone that I had crossed paths with, about a certain area. We did micro-pricing years ago, and I know one of the gentlemen at the Sacramento Kings who was doing it for years. I just picked up the phone, called him, and was able to get some answers. That’s why it is so beneficial to be in INTIX and be with your peers.”
The same power of connection through INTIX shone through when the White Sox organization began evaluating vendors and new technologies.
“We had a big vendor that we needed for parking, and they happened to be at one of the conventions, and it helped out. I had it done, and I was tasked with that, even though I’m in tickets … We still use them to this day, and that was about 12 or 13 years ago.”
As his career progressed, Mike found himself doing for others what so many people had done for him. While he is proud of the major events he has helped deliver over the years, some of his greatest satisfaction comes from seeing others succeed.
“That is a big thing for me, helping to develop [others, including two people who were running our Fan Fest], and letting them go on. Now, some of those people work at different venues that are running concerts and stuff, so that makes me feel great. That’s more of an accomplishment to me than just the event itself.”
Asked about his most memorable career moment, Mike recalls a young boy battling cancer whose family had reached out to the White Sox, hoping to make his dream of visiting the clubhouse come true. Mike knew exactly who to talk to. Then-White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, who led the club to its 2005 World Series championship, was known for looking after people.
“I have a relationship with Ozzie Guillen, who’s probably one of the nicest guys you ever want to meet,” Mike says. “I whispered to him the request that I had.”
When Guillen learned about the boy’s situation, he welcomed him and his brother into the clubhouse and then addressed the team.
“He told them all, ‘You better sign something or give something to this young man and his brother because he’s fighting something. We’re just playing a game.’ That kid got loved on with all kinds of autographed stuff for him and his brother. I didn’t follow up because I didn’t want to be pushy, but I did hear that the young man passed away in November of that year.”
He adds, “That was one of the most memorable, satisfying things that I could have done for somebody. I’ve done that for some other people a couple of times, too. I’m trying to put some smiles (on people’s faces), because I have a boss, an owner, who allows me to do that. That’s what a lot of people don’t know. Jerry Reinsdorf allows us to do our job, but he also cares about a lot of people … You have to see it to believe how he takes care of so many people and doesn’t want any credit. He’ll probably get mad that I gave him credit for this. But that’s okay. And then my boss, Howard Pizer and Tim Buzard. Tim is my direct boss, who’s great. He allows me to do a lot of the things that I do. Those are the things that, if you can help somebody out, [you should] do it. Put a smile on some people’s faces.”
Mike’s favorite INTIX memory comes from the infamous and frigidly cold 2008 conference in Chicago. He had arranged for a group of baseball colleagues to have lunch at Volare, which he considers one of the best Italian restaurants in the city. What happened next sounds like something out of a movie.
“There were about 12 of us, and a couple of the guys got there before me. I go in, tell the guy my name, and all of a sudden, like in Goodfellas, they roll out a table in front, and push all the other tables aside, and put us right in the middle. So those guys think I got all kinds of connections all over the place, but that was a memorable, fun moment.”
The story still makes him laugh, as does the nickname that followed.
“My brand is now the Godfather, as Kevin Dart from the Yankees calls me.”
Mike (right) and Kevin Dart at Rate Field after the Field of Dreams game.
The nickname may be playful, but in many ways it fits. Over nearly four decades in ticketing, Mike has built deep relationships across the industry and earned a reputation for loyalty.
When asked if we missed anything about his life or career, he is most interested in talking about faith, family, and the people who helped shape him.
“I just care about people,” he says. “I love my family. And I love the Lord, of course, with all my heart.”
For Mike Mazza, those priorities have never changed. They guided him as a young bank teller trying to find his place in the world, and they continue to guide him today as Vice President of Ticket Operations.
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