TEN QUESTIONS WITH...

What attracted you to the Athletics Director position at the University at Buffalo?

Growing up in Western New York and attending school at nearby Sweet Home High, I always took notice of what was happening at the University at Buffalo. When UB elevated its program to the Division I level, I was immediately intrigued by the potential opportunities. Buffalo has always been a great sports town, and I feel certain that there is a niche to be carved out in intercollegiate athletics.

If you were asked to describe the duties of an athletics director, how would you do it?

This answer is somewhat different than what I would have expected it to be prior to assuming my current position. With all the issues that are facing intercollegiate athletics today, such as compliance with Title IX, the facilities arms race, as well as the overall funding of athletics programs, I think more than anything else you have to be a person who can solve problems and you have to have the ability to think on your feet. Obviously, the job is very comprehensive. There are so many different aspects and dimensions to it that you have to have a great staff of competent people and they have to be people who you can trust. I feel like that's in place now, and I'm trying to devote more of my attention to continuing to build the external relationships that are necessary to help us fund this young program.

What has been the most exciting project you have overseen as the Athletics Director at the University at Buffalo?

Probably the most exciting and challenging project was "Mission I-A" when we had to reclassify our football program to the Division I-A level and solidify our membership in the Mid-American Conference. To meet the criteria, we had to begin to build a fan base in a marketplace that is already a bit oversaturated with sporting opportunities, and we embarked on a very aggressive campaign to average 17,000 football fans during the 1998 season. It was most gratifying in that it was a collaborative effort by a lot of people, and the community really rallied around the program. I truly believe that given time for the program to grow and become more competitive, those attendance figures can and will be surpassed in the future.

What are the biggest roadblocks to the UB athletics program right now in terms of continuing to grow and earn national notoriety?

The biggest roadblock right now is time, or lack thereof. Our program is very young and most people simply don't understand that success does not occur overnight. Most of the programs that are successful now have been in place for a long time, and have years of tradition. Our tradition, at best, has been an interrupted one. UB is trying to play catch-up right now, and obviously schools and programs aren't willing to roll over and move out of your way. You have to scratch and claw for everything you get and that certainly includes respect. Unless you live and work in this profession every day, it's impossible to understand just how much hard work and effort goes into trying to building a program at the Division I level.

What advice would you give someone who aspires to become an athletics director at the college level?

Today, there are many people entering the athletics field, more than at any other time in history. You've got sports administration programs all over the country, which means more graduates seeking internships and professional opportunities. The best advice that I can give is to be willing to make some sacrifices on the front-end; as it becomes more competitive to get jobs, sacrifices will be necessary. Once you get your foot in the door, work hard and be very, very loyal. It's important to be a team player. The person who works hard and contributes as part of a process is going to be very valuable. Don't worry about getting noticed. Perhaps the best advice that I can give is don't look for shortcuts. Often times, looking for shortcuts and jumping from job to job has a way of working against a person.

An athletics director needs to be skilled in many different areas. What do you think your strongest area is?

Having worked in the athletic development/fund-raising areas at several Division I institutions (Cal-State Fullerton, Miami, and Buffalo), I certainly think that has been very helpful to me. I've been able to develop solid relationships and encourage people to invest in a variety of different ways. Also, as I look at some of the coaches and administrators who we've added to our staff recently, I'd like to believe that I'm also a pretty good judge of character. The team we have in place now has worked cooperatively to chart out the future of our program.

What advice would you give a high-school athlete who dreams of competing at the Division I level?

Follow your dream. Don't give up on something before you've given it an honest try. If you're serious about competing at the Division I level, it's a terribly big commitment. More and more today, you see athletes specializing in one particular sport at a much earlier age. In a lot of ways, I think that's disappointing, but it's also a reality. If you're going to be able to compete at the Division I level, you really have to hone your skills and prepare yourself to the max.

What are the strengths of this University that make you believe that it can achieve the notoriety on the athletic level that it has enjoyed in academic circles?

To me this is an easy one. I've been at several different universities, and while they have all been good schools, not a single one can compare to the comprehensiveness or breadth of opportunities available at the University at Buffalo. Most of them don't have the things in place that this institution does. In my mind, where UB is today in athletics is simply a function of having gotten a late start and changing its mind a couple of times along the way. Now that UB is committed to Division I, there's no reason we can't enjoy the same success in athletics that the University is known for academically.

The Buffalo athletic program has made great strides, including becoming a member of the Mid-American Conference. What plans do you have to help UB become a top competitor in the league?

The biggest thing we want to continue to do is to make sure we have the right coaches in place and that we've got a plan to support them. The name of the game in college athletics is recruiting, and we must be able to attract the very best student-athletes. As administrators, we work very closely with our coaches. We try to listen attentively as our coaches are the people who can tell us what is needed the most. They are also the ones in the trenches day in and day out, and they know what prospective student-athletes are looking for in a program. Over the next few years, we will also continue to scrutinize our operation very closely to find out how we might reallocate personnel or reallocate resources to make sure that we're taking advantage of all our opportunities.

Your background in athletics includes stops at Syracuse, Ohio University, Cal State Fullerton, and Miami University. What is unique about the University at Buffalo and how is it similar?