BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Benjamin Hoeb, Chairman
RJ Lugo, Vice Chairman
Taylor McElroy, Treasurer
Cleveland Patterson, Secretary & Media Relations
Alex Sharland, Ph.D., At-Large
Matt Vogtner, At-Large
Lars Granade, J.D., At-Large
- "Hobie" has been with the Mobile Area Rugby Foundation since its inception. Having played the sport for over 15 years, his inspiration to promote a rugby program here in Mobile stems from a love of the game and the kind of resource it can be for children of all ages. He holds an BA from the University of South Alabama in Mobile. Mr. Hoeb works as a Corporate Digital Marketing Manager for PCH Hotels & Resorts. He served as a past president for Mobile's Battleship RFC, and past Treasurer & Media Relations of MARF, and holds a certification from USA Rugby as a coach and is certified as a Rookie Rugby educator.
RJ Lugo, Vice Chairman
- RJ is Vice Chairman of Mobile Area Rugby. He was asked to join Mobile Area Rugby because of his dedication to the expansion of the sport of rugby. Mr. Lugo also holds a certification as a coach for Rookie Rugby and over ten years experience as a player and administrator for Battleship Rugby RFC.
Taylor McElroy, Treasurer
- Taylor serves the role of Treasurer for Mobile Area Rugby Foundation. Taylor holds a Bachelor of Science in Banking and Financial Support Services from the University of Alabama. Taylor has over a decade of experience playing and refereeing rugby at various levels, attaining B-panel referee certification.
Cleveland Patterson, Secretary & Media Relations
- Cleveland serves dual roles as Secretary and Media Relations Coordinator for Mobile Area Rugby. He has a short history playing rugby with Battleship RFC and was asked to join Mobile Area Rugby because of his immediate dedication to the sport.
Alex Sharland, Ph.D., At-Large
- Alex serves one of the organizations four non-executive, at-large board seats. He is currently employed by the University of South Alabama as an Associate Professor in the Mitchell College of Business, specializing in marketing. Alex has an extensive rugby resume including numerous years playing in the U.K. and, more recently, a half-decade as the Chair for the Deep South Referee Society. Alex joined Mobile Area Rugby's board in 2015 to provide valuable insight into our organizational growth and development plans.
Matt Vogtner, At-Large
- Matt serves as in the second of four non-executive, at-large board seats for Mobile Area Rugby. A Mobile-native, Matt's experience with rugby is limited as he joined Battleship Rugby in 2010. Since joining the rugby community, Matt has been a standout player and administrator, serving as Battleship Rugby's most recent president. Matt is no novice with competitive sports. While studying Restaurant and Hospitality Services at the University of Alabama, Matt also represented the university's track and Field team in the Pole Vault discipline. Winning numerous high school and collegiate championships, Matt was asked to join Mobile Area Rugby to instill and promote a culture of success.
Lars Granade, J.D., At-Large
- Lars serves the third of four non-executive, at-large board seat and also maintains the role of alumni (Battleship Old Boy, B.O.B.) liaison. He, too, has a long history playing, coaching and administering rugby with Battleship RFC and was asked to join Mobile Area Rugby because of his dedication to the sport and breadth of administrative knowledge. Lars holds a Juris Doctorate from Emory University and is employed as an Assistant District Attorney for the State of Alabama. He holds a USA Rugby L200 coaching certification and boasts nearly a dozen international wins with the B.O.B. touring side.
- Bethy serves two roles for our organization, running our Women's Team & Youth Program and is the final non-executive, at large board seat. She has been apart of Battleship Rugby since the Women's teams inception, and has also been a strong supporter and leader in the development of the Youth Program since joining the Battleship Family.