WILMINGTON, N.C. - UNC Wilmington head baseball coach Mark Scalf has announced that Cam Bonifay, special assistant to Cincinnati Reds General Manager Walt Jocketty, will be the keynote speaker at the annual Spring Training Banquet Dinner on Jan. 29.

"Cam is an outstanding baseball person that has experience at every level of baseball, from college to professional, as a player, scout, and in the front office'" said Scalf.

Tickets for the event are on sale now and may be purchased by calling (910) 962-3570. Corporate tables, seating seven individuals, cost $600 and individual tickets are $60.

Bonifay, who has served as both a scout and in the front office for several major league teams, was named General Manager-of-the-Year in 1997 when the Pittsburgh Pirates stayed in the race for the National League Central title before finishing second. The Pirates total payroll that season was nine million dollars.

In 2001, Bonifay joined the Tampa Bay Rays organization as Director of Player Development and Scouting. During his tenure, the Rays drafted current major leaguers B.J. Upton, Rocco Baldelli, Delmon Young and Jeff Niemann.

Bonifay returned to scouting in 2007 with the St. Louis Cardinals and recently joined the Reds, the organization that gave him his first opportunity in Major League Baseball as a scout.

Bonifay's son, Josh, was a standout for the Seahawks from 1997-99 and was selected by the Pirates in the 25th round of the 1999 draft.