In his first year as commissioner of Major League Baseball, Rob Manfred has earned rave reviews.  He will surely share some of his tips about leadership as commencement speaker at Colgate University.  

Manfred will address the Class of 2016 graduates on May 15th.  The commencement will be held in Sanford Field House and those being conferred degrees can obtain up to six guest tickets.  

What is perhaps most special about the ceremony is that his daughter, Mary Clare, will be among the graduates. Manfred has further ties to the area as a Rome, New York native.  

Manfred took the commissioner's office last January and has already led MLB through some impressive initiatives.  He oversaw changes prior to last season to improve the pace of the game and led an American baseball delegation to Cuba for the first time since 1999.

In the four years prior to becoming commissioner, Manfred served as MLB COO.  He originally joined the league as executive vice president for labor relations and human resources, a role he filled from 1998-2012.  

Through that initial position, Manfred guided an unprecedented period of labor peace with his collective bargaining efforts.  He graduated from Harvard Law School and got his start in baseball working as outside counsel on labor issues.  

To inquire about Rob Manfred's speaking fee and appearance cost, contact the agents at Athlete Speakers by calling us at 800-916-6008 or by Starting Your Booking Request Now.

CBS News Interview with Rob Manfred: