BUTLER TWP — Back in 2008, Dess Schnur received a phone call from the Butler Redevelopment Authority and was asked to attend a meeting.

Little did he know but that meeting would shape the next several years of his life.

Schnur was presented the opportunity to become director of stadium operations at Pullman Park.

“They surprised me,” said Schnur of the job offer. “I simply told them, ‘I'm very humbled. ... Give me a day to think about it.'”

After seeking advice from family and friends, Schnur decided to accept the position and has since devoted countless hours to evolving the Butler ballpark.

Pullman is home to the Prospect League's Butler BlueSox and also hosts high school baseball games for Knoch, Moniteau and Karns City.

The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference will have its postseason tournament at the stadium this year, as will the Penn State University Athletic Conference.

As games pile up, the allure of Pullman Park spreads to new clients.

“The word is around now,” Schnur said. “With the teams that have played here and had a positive experience, (the word is) out and it's our best marketing tool.”

Schnur strives to make sure the park's favorable reputation not only remains intact, but also continues to grow.

“I have standard procedures for everything in the park,” said Schnur. “One of my big goals has always been to have this park as clean as possible. I don't want to have any complaints on maintenance of the park.

“My goal, too — and always is — is to try and make improvements,” he added. “I have a laundry list of items that we're going to address here in the next six weeks or so to get completed to make this park a better park for our players and our fans and our coaches and our umpires.”

Schnur, 69, has been involved with baseball for about a half century, including 24 years as president or vice president of the Butler County American Legion League.

His wealth of experience is perfect for running the day-to-day operations at Pullman Park.

Schnur's deep love for baseball makes coming to the park a joy. Add in his familiarity with the busy schedule of tournament play and it's no wonder the Butler County Sports Hall of Famer has been a success at the position.

“I guess I've been in this business all my life,” said Schnur. “I'm pretty comfortable with it.

“Normally the people that we host here with the tournaments are very professional people,” he added. “We take that professional approach and normally things are pretty organized and go along pretty smoothly.”

Despite the numerous preparations for an event, Schnur has one common nemesis: Mother Nature.

But the inevitable rain doesn't stop him. Schnur has made the draining system more efficient and hopes to revamp the pitching mound this year to lessen the effect of a torrential downpour.

“The only thing that creates a problem for all of us concerned is the weather,” Schnur conceded. “However, with the improvements we're going to make this year, we hope the weather is going to be a lesser factor than ever.”

Along with the responsibilities at Pullman, he is also the owner of Schnur Awning Manufacturing.

His approach at the ballpark is similar to the way he goes about running his business: Present a quality product, keep the customers happy and the rest will take care of itself.

“I got to know a lot of people, and I get a lot of referrals that way,” Schnur said. “I've really enjoyed it tremendously. ... I am involved in all aspects of the business.

“You give a good product, people are happy and you get positive responses. I think that's really driven me to continue.”

Schnur's never-settle approach to life wasn't built overnight.

He took after his father, George, who enjoyed sports and had a knack for initiating projects as well.

“He gave me the direction and the attitude that I have today,” Schnur said.

When in doubt, Schnur could count on his mother, Marcella, who died in December.

“She was my best friend, that's for sure,” he said. “I always relied on her for direction.”

Schnur was a teacher in the Butler School District for 35 years and also served 28 years in the Army before retiring as a colonel.

“I loved the military,” said Schnur. “The military gave the structure, the discipline, the respect that it takes to run a business or run Pullman Park. I think the military had a profound influence on how I operate.”

No matter how hard he works, Schnur knows his success is contingent on the community's approval.

“If I didn't get the support, I just couldn't continue,” he admitted. “I do it for the community, and the giveback attitude that I feel is something we need in a community to be successful.

“I just have that inward feeling that it needs to be done and I want to be part of it.”

That feeling carries him through his duties at Pullman Park, making the stadium a safe place for people to sit back and enjoy some baseball.

“I feel it's extremely fan-friendly here,” said Schnur. “There's no bad seats in this park.

“We've done a lot to ensure the fans are safe. That's been very important to me.”

<B>SCHNUR FILE</B><B>Name:</B> Dess Schnur<B>Address:</B> Butler<B>Employment:</B> Director of stadium operations at Pullman Park; owner of Schnur Awning Manufacturing<B>Family:</B> Wife, Bernadette; sons, Des and Curt; daughter, Tanya.<B>Education:</B> Bachelor’s from Indiana (Pa.) University in 1965. Master’s in education from Slippery Rock University in 1971.<B>Military service:</B> 28 years in the Army and retired as a colonel.<B>Community service:</B> Served 24 years as president or vice president of the Butler County American Legion Baseball League.‘You give a good product, people are happy and you get positive responses. I think that’s really driven me to continue.’<B>ON THE JOB</B><B>Name:</B> Pullman Park<B>Address</B>: 100 Pullman Park Place, Butler<B>Top official</B>: Dess Schnur, director of stadium operations<B>Services</B>: Pullman Park is home to the Prospect League’s Butler BlueSox. It hosts high school baseball games for Knoch, Moniteau and Karns City, and also tournament baseball games.<B>Employees</B>: 10 part-time<B>Website:</B> PullmanPark.com<B>Mission</B>: To continue to be the benchmark in service and guest experience.<B><I><U></B></U></I><B>BUSINESS INSIGHT</B>Dess Schnur, director of stadium operations at Pullman Park and owner of Schnur Awning Manufacturing, offers these five keys to being a success in business:• Patience: “Things just don’t happen. It takes time.”• Perseverance: “To be able to remain with a project and finish it.”• Motivation: “That’s an intrinsic thing maybe, but it’s something you definitely need.”• Excitement: “You have to create excitement to influence others so they know what you’re doing is important and it’s going to help.”• Family support: “My wife and my kids; they’ve been in sports all my life. They generate support. My wife has been instrumental.”