Irvine, CA (January 7, 2021) - Orange County SC announced today the addition of former British diplomat Dan Rutstein to the senior leadership team of the club. Rutstein will serve as Senior Vice President International Projects and will be responsible for developing the club’s international commercial partnerships strategy.

“I am excited to be part of what they are building here at Orange County,” said Rutstein. “This is a team which thinks globally while still being rooted in its community.

They don’t just want to win football matches they also want to transform the lives of their players – creating a pathway to the professional game in Europe which can only help achieve the long-term goals of American soccer. I’m excited for the opportunity to be part of that and continue the work I started as a diplomat and help create opportunities that can be part of the great US-UK success story.”

Rutstein, who worked as a sports journalist before serving with the British Government in Germany and Los Angeles, has a strong background in international relationships which will be necessary to grow the strong global partnerships the club is looking for.

“Dan brings a wealth of diverse international experience and creative insight which will help to further strengthen our global outreach and business development”, said Jeff Garner, Orange County SC President of Business Relations. “Dan delivers a fantastic

enthusiasm for connecting his vast UK network with Orange County SC and our partners which will continue to enhance our fan and player pathway.”

Rutstein added: “I’ve had the privilege of working with some extraordinary companies on both sides of the pond in recent years and am looking forward to connecting with even more to help grow meaningful and lasting partnerships for Orange County’s relationships with soccer fans in the UK and beyond.

In his last role, Dan was President of immersive technology company Laduma and he also hosts two podcasts – United States of Dramerica and Screaming into the Hollywood Abyss – with a third, America the Beautiful Game, coming soon.

Orange County Soccer Club (OCSC) is Orange County’s only professional soccer team and is part of the United Soccer League (USL), the fastest-growing Division II professional soccer league in the world. The USL is comprised of 35 teams across the United States. The team plays its home games at the 5,500-seat Orange County Great Park Championship Soccer Stadium, located in Irvine, CA. OCSC’s strategic partner is Rangers Football Club of Glasgow in the Scottish Premier League. OCSC signed the youngest male in United States soccer history to a professional contract, Francis Jacobs, in 2019 at the age of 14. The team executed a number of player transfers from the USL to major European clubs in 2020, including to the German Bundesliga (Wolfsburg) and to the Scottish Premier League (Rangers FC). OCSC’s preceding club, Orange County Blues, was one of 12 founding members of the USL during its inaugural 2011 season. Team owner and Chief Investment Officer of LARO Properties, James Keston, purchased and re-branded the team in 2017. Keston, who actively oversees all operations of the team, is dedicated to providing a pathway to professional soccer and a world-class soccer organization that focuses on the fans, players, and youth clubs of Orange County.