UND's next Athletic Director

[redwing77]

I have never understood why because someone has done a lot for UND and had outstanding success at UND that if they were ever rewarded by being appointed to a new position that it is the "good old boy system".

UND is a an excellent University. Look at the CEO's and senior executives at businesses and corporations all across the country. Look at the number of successful attorneys, doctors, nurses, pilots, engineers, educators as well as coaches across the country with UND ties.

Being an Athletic Director first and foremost requires the personality and passion for UND athletics that will sustain that person through the next years as we deal with the stresses of the D1 move, the change of the Fighting Sioux name, a new president and the new facilities. Whomever takes the job needs to be a leader with vision and they will need to be a fund raiser. They need to oversee the busget but if we are looking for a numbers guy before someone who can "work the crowd" and generate support it would be a huge mistake.

Who cares where the candidate comes from. There are CEO's out there with no athletic admin experience who would be a great AD. Purpur, Blais and Bollinger are all qualified candidates. If one of them is the best choice that's who it should be.

I think the "good old boy" system only applies when there is a perception that an outside candidate is overlooked in favor of an inside candidate despite the outside candidate apparently holding better credientials.

It's a no-win situation because if an organization goes outside to avoid that accusation, then there will be those who say that the organization does not care for their own and that outsiders don't truly know what the organization is all about like the insider. Then, those people just wait until they can find fault and jump all over the "bad" choice.

[Shawn-O]

Uh, yup.

http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm...mp;section=news

Given all of this hijinx, I sure hope USA Hockey is smart enough to award the upcoming U-18 tourney to a city with a complete arena. (Geez, did I just wish well for St. Cloud or Providence? OK, Providence.)

As far as Blais, he's a great guy and ambassador, but does his resume show enough administrative horsepower?

Well, things are a go with the IRS and the tax-exempt status, but no bonds in 2008. Now, the next chapter, financing the '08 construction costs to get this thing ready by fall.

http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm...mp;section=news

[the"source"]

Very good point. Big difference between Rob and Dean though is Rob has athletic administration experience and plenty of fund raising experience. Dean has none, at least not in college athletics anyway. In my mind Rob would be a much better candidate than Dean if it came down to those two.

I am still rooting for Purpur. I wonder if he will apply?

NO!

[the"source"]

With all due respect to both Blais and Bollinger, this latest tinkering with the process just stinks of more good ole boy crap. When will this university emerge from the back woods?

Would "tinkering with the process" be like whe Tom Bunning was hired as our new A.D. when he wasn't on the final list of three given to the president? Hmm good ole boy crap? Sounds to me like we need more outsiders to come here and do a fine job of pissing off coaches, fans, alums, on and on and on!

[GeauxSioux]

New AD at UND will face a tough assignment

What one person has described as the worst job in America just got a whole lot tougher.

The decision of football coach Dale Lennon to leave UND to become coach at Southern Illinois begs this question - who wants to be the next athletic director at UND and why?

In a conversation with a current athletic director recently, he told me he couldn't think of a tougher job in the country than being the next athletic director at UND.

I think Virg should become a motivational speaker.

[Goon]

We are making a HUGE mistake if Coach Blais becomes our next AD.

Wasn't Blais an athletic director at I Falls?

I thought I read that some where.

[Riverman]

Yes,Frostbite Falls

I mean I-Falls

[Goon]

Yes,Frostbite Falls

I mean I-Falls

Rockey and Bullwinkle, LOL, I still love that cartoon.

[GeauxSioux]

UND hires firm to help in AD search

UND hired executive search firm Alden & Associates of Amherst, Mass., to help identify qualified candidates for the position of athletic director.

Headed by Elizabeth Alden, the firm specializes in searches and consults on a variety of athletics issues.

[supersioux]

I'm curious to know what the search costs.

[choyt3]

I'm curious to know what the search costs.

From the above referenced article:

The consultant will be paid $15,000, according to Weisenstein's office.

[UND92,96]

On the WDAZ news last night, it was reported that the first two applications for the a.d. job have been received:

Tom Seitz

Joe Biedron

[GeauxSioux]

On the WDAZ news last night, it was reported that the first two applications for the a.d. job have been received:

Tom Seitz

Joe Biedron

Neither of these two seem like they would be a good fit for UND.

[UND92,96]

I'm not sure whether this has been posted elsewhere, but here's the job announcement for the a.d. position. I have a feeling there are going to be a lot of applications submitted on February 5-7. The reason? The new president is supposed to be announced February 5. Applications for the a.d. are going to start being reviewed February 8.

[iramurphy]

I'm not sure whether this has been posted elsewhere, but here's the job announcement for the a.d. position. I have a feeling there are going to be a lot of applications submitted on February 5-7. The reason? The new president is supposed to be announced February 5. Applications for the a.d. are going to start being reviewed February 8.

Bollinger has experience with athletics at UND and fundraising at UND and Bemidji State. Both schools have D1 programs. He has been successful at all of those positions and he has a lot of support among many of UND's biggest supporters. The hockey coaches I spoke with are supportive and especially if Blais isn't interested, Bollinger should be the guy to beat. I hope to hell we don't get a weenie who can't lead and communicate. It could spell disaster for the D1 move and the facility master plan. If Purpur is interested he would be a good candidate and I think Blais would be a good candidate but Bollinger is a proven leader and would do a great job. I hope he will apply.

[star2city]

On the WDAZ news last night, it was reported that the first two applications for the a.d. job have been received:

Tom Seitz

Joe Biedron

Seitz was AD of Jacksonville U in Florida, and was in charge of the ship when Jacksonville U (Fla) made an unusual move and downgraded its programs from the Sunbelt to the Atlantic Sun (one of the least prestigious conferences in the country with mostly entry level schools). The move was due in part to travel costs as well as UCF -at the time- and Stetson being in the Atlantic Sun. But just a few years later, both FIU and FAU join the Sunbelt. Not exactlly a visionary move, especially after in-city rival North Florida attained the same conference status from DII. His later move to Jacksonville State (Alabama) was at best a lateral move, as JSU is only now (after Seitz leaving) righting their programs in the Ohio Valley.

Seitz appears to have been released from the US Water Polo associationleadership in 2006 for financial (management?) reasons, but was contractually paid for two years anyway.

WPP Question 8: We have heard that the previous Executive Director of USAWP, Tom Seitz, was given a 3 year contract renewal in 2005 and although he is no longer employed by the organization he is still being paid his full salary through 2008. If true, has this placed the USAWP in a difficult position financially? How does the BOD plan to deal with this issue?

MG's Response: Insuring our financial strength is one of the key goals of the new board. By building our financial resources, we will be able to invest in sport development as well as our national teams. Bill Smith, our new secretary has taken the lead for us in putting in a new financial forecasting system, so we can manage our finances on a very careful basis and avoid negative surprises.

The new CEO will be very revenue oriented, with major new initiatives in marketing, sponsorship development, and fundraising that will be launched over the next year. Three of the new board members, including Bill and myself, have significant business and Wall Street experience which we are bringing to bear on the organization.

We have honored Tom Seitz's contract, and we will honor all of our contracts. Finally, I am pleased to say that while we have challenges, we have finished the summer in solid financial health.

Joe Biedron no longer appears to be in the UT-Arlington athletic department. UT-Arlington is one of the few non-football schools in the Southland conference that hasn't gained any traction in restarting football (unlike Lamar, UT-San Antonio, and even TAM-Corpus Christi). As development officer, Biedron probably had some responsibilities for that inaction.

[Shawn-O]

Bollinger has experience with athletics at UND and fundraising at UND and Bemidji State. Both schools have D1 programs. He has been successful at all of those positions and he has a lot of support among many of UND's biggest supporters. The hockey coaches I spoke with are supportive and especially if Blais isn't interested, Bollinger should be the guy to beat. I hope to hell we don't get a weenie who can't lead and communicate. It could spell disaster for the D1 move and the facility master plan. If Purpur is interested he would be a good candidate and I think Blais would be a good candidate but Bollinger is a proven leader and would do a great job. I hope he will apply.

He won't be a candidate.

http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=188475&section=Columnists&columnist=Heath Hotzler://http://www.in-forum.com/articles/in...t=Heath Hotzler

[star2city]

The latest candidate is William Weidner, who seems to have been through a stretch of "bad" luck.

After a coaching career, Weidner became an assistant AD at SMU for seven years after their football death penalty. Later moved to DII Ashland as AD for three years, and then moved to UTPA as AD shortly after UTPA was forced out of the Sunbelt. In six years tenure at UTPA, Weidner wasn't able to get UTPA a conference affiliation before he left for Weber State.

After six months as Weber State AD, he left to become UCF's associate AD Weidner's tenure at UCF was 13 months. Last year, he has been finalists at Nebraska-Omaha and Cal State-Northridge, but was not chosen at either.

[GeauxSioux]

We sure don't need a short term AD or someone who doesn't fit. Weidner doesn't look to be the one for UND. Good research Star.

[UND92,96]

Minutes from the November IAC meeting included some discussion about the AD position.

[choyt3]

Minutes from the November IAC meeting included some discussion about the AD position.

From the minutes:

Kevin Finley from Standing Rock has contacted the Athletic Department with a request to play a basketball game vs. Four Winds at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center on Dec. 27. REA is working with Athletics and Standing Rock. Ms. Ralston stressed that this request came from Standing Rock and was not initiated by UND or the Athletic Department.

Did this happen?

[UND92,96]

From the minutes:

Did this happen?

Not to my knowledge. Maybe the Standing Rock tribal council put the kibosh on it?

[GeauxSioux]

UND ATHLETIC DIRECTOR SEARCH: A slow start

The UND athletic director position opening has been posted for nearly three weeks.

As of Thursday afternoon, four applications had been received. But Greg Weisenstein, chair of the search committee, said he's not concerned about the lack of applicants.

The consultant who is helping with the search says interest has been good. And Weisenstein said he expects many to apply late to limit media exposure.

The latest applicant for the position is Barbara Burke, deputy athletic director at the University of Wyoming.

Burke has been an assistant athletic director at Wyoming since March 1998. She received her bachelor's degree from Western Michigan in 1980 and her master's degree from Tennessee-Chattanooga in 1984.

We have a Wyoming candidate for president and now a Wyoming candidate for AD.

[UND92,96]

UND ATHLETIC DIRECTOR SEARCH: A slow start

We have a Wyoming candidate for president and now a Wyoming candidate for AD.

If Ms. Burke gets the job, would Steve Brekke's job title become "senior men's administrator"?

[The Sicatoka]

If Ms. Burke gets the job, would Steve Brekke's job title become "senior men's administrator"?

Did you just call Steve Brekke a "senior"?