Senior Director, Communications
Brian Bartow has been a member of the Cardinals organization since 1985 when the Battle Creek, Michigan native served as an intern in the team's Public Relations Department. After a nine month stint serving as a graduate assistant in the University of Missouri Athletic Department in 1986, Bartow joined the Cardinals on a full-time basis in February, 1987 as the team's Assistant Director of Public Relations. He was named Director of Media Relations in 1994 and currently directs the team's communication, information, and publicity efforts as lead point of contact on all baseball related matters while also assisting in business communications.
Bartow's career highlights include publicity for six Cardinals World Series teams (1985, 1987, 2004, 2006, 2011, 2013); oversight of team publicity for 149 postseason games - the most ever by any MLB team public relations executive; N.L. publicity representative for five MLB All-Star Games (1988, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2014); N.L. media representative for 1991 World Series; oversight of team publicity for 1998 MLB Home Run Chase with Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. He has worked for three Hall of Fame Managers (Whitey Herzog, Joe Torre & Tony La Russa). and was involved in the team's media relations efforts during the closing of Busch Stadium II and the Opening of Busch Stadium III and was responsible for the launching and oversight of the team's first-ever website.
Bartow was presented with the Robert O. Fishel Award for excellence in Major League Baseball Public Relations in 2015, Bing Devine "Baseball Executive of the Year" award in 1998 by the St. Louis Baseball Major League Scouts Association and the Harry Mitauer "Good Guy" Award in 2007 by the St. Louis Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America. Bartow also received the Eagle Scout Award in 1980.
The Michigan native received his B.S. degree in Public Relations in 1985 from Ferris State College, Big Rapids, MI; Associate's Degree in Mechanical Design in 1982 from Ferris State College. He worked from 1982-83 for the Kellogg Co. in Battle Creek, Michigan as a Computer Aided Design (CAD) operator.
Bartow and his wife, Laura - whom he met while she was working as an usher at Busch Stadium II, are involved with St. Louis-based T.A.S.K. (Team Activities for Special Kids), a charitable organization that is devoted to kids with special needs. The couple has a daughter, Lindsay, and a son, Connor.
A fan of a good bold cup of coffee and his beloved Michigan Wolverines, Bartow enjoys watching prep sports and cheering on the St. Louis Blues and Detroit Lions during his leisure time. Bartow is a member of Queen of All Saints Parish in Oakville, MO.