Mary Ellen Gillespie interviews for UNK AD job

[Tricky_Falcon]

http://tinyurl.com/mgab5nh


By BUCK MAHONEY Hub Sports Editor | 0 comments

KEARNEY — Under Mary Ellen Gillespie, Bowling Green’s financial support grew.

Those skills are top of the list in what many desire for a new athletics director at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

Gillespie visited the UNK campus Wednesday. She was the fourth finalist to come to Kearney to interview to replace Jon McBride, UNK’s athletics director the past 11 years. McBride announced in May that he was stepping down for health reasons.

Gillespie, the associate athletics director for external relations at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, has been heavily involved in athletics department fund raising since 2006. During her tenure, Bowling Green raised $28 million. She also led the campaign for the new $36 million Stroh Center, which was the university’s largest facility fundraising effort.

“Fundraising is not rocket science, but it’s a little bit of an art,” Gillespie told faculty and staff at a meet-and-greet Wednesday morning. “It’s the art of relationships, then it’s the discipline to actually be able to ask people for money. ... People will give to causes they believe in.”

A good story, one of athletic and academic success, is necessary to seal the deal, and she said UNK has a good story.

“Nothing’s broken here at Kearney, which is extremely attractive for anyone who wants to be an athletic director and lead a team,” Gillespie said. “The amount of community support, the amount of campus support, those are all great things to have in an athletic department.”

Gillespie sits on the five-person executive committee at Bowling Green, overseeing the operations of all the school’s sports. Her role as associate athletics director for external relations gives her the responsibility for “anything that generates revenue,” including ticketing, merchandising, concessions and fund-raising. She’s also responsible for anything that’s visibility and imagely attractive for anyone who wants to be an athletic director and lead a team,” Gillespie said. “The amount of community support, the amount of campus support, those are all great things to have in an athletic department.”

Gillespie sits on the five-person executive committee at Bowling Green, overseeing the operations of all the school’s sports. Her role as associate athletics director for external relations gives her the responsibility for “anything that generates revenue,” including ticketing, merchandising, concessions and fundraising. She’s also responsible for anything that’s visibility and image related: marketing, promotions, communications and “anything people see us do,” she said.

Prior to Bowling Green, she held administrative posts at Purdue and the University of Iowa. At Purdue she helped raise more than $5 million in 14 months.

Bowling Green, located in the northwest corner of Ohio, 20 minutes from Toledo and just over an hour from Detroit, is a member of the Division I Mid-America Conference for all sports except hockey. The school has an enrollment of 16,000 students but, like UNK, exists in the shadow of a Big Ten behemoth.

“In Ohio everybody, no matter where you go to school, is a Buckeye. So everywhere in the state everyone sees scarlet and gray,” she said.

Her success, she said, is because, “I’m a relationship builder.”

As an athletics director, Gillespie promised to pursue gender equity, comply with conference and NCAA rules, be fiscally responsible and be competitive.

Now that the interview process has ended, UNK Chancellor Doug Kristensen will consult with the search firm and committee as well as community and faculty leaders before making a final decision. While it’s unclear how long that process will take, a new athletics director could be named as early as next week.

[TG1996]

I'm sure *that* quote was taken somewhat out of context or at least cut short, but geez....

[transfer2BGSU]

I don't see anything wrong with the quote. I think it shows that she understands the situation the Kearney campus is in with regards to being located in a Big 10 state with the University of Nebraska.

Now, had she made the statement in the same manner as Beckman's "every kid in Ohio grows up wanting to be a Buckeye..." then I would view the comment differently.

[mscarn]

http://tinyurl.com/mgab5nh


By BUCK MAHONEY Hub Sports Editor | 0 comments


“In Ohio everybody, no matter where you go to school, is a Buckeye.

Untrue. She's proven it. We've proven it.

[mscarn]

The job went to Paul Plinske, AD at Wisconsin-Whitewater.

In an unrelated development, United States Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska hired someone from Wisconsin-Blackwater.

[factman]

[Falconfreak90]

http://tinyurl.com/mgab5nh


By BUCK MAHONEY Hub Sports Editor | 0 comments


“In Ohio everybody, no matter where you go to school, is a Buckeye.

Not this Freak...f osu.

[mscarn]

She's now a finalist (1 of 5) for the AD job at Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Does she want out now that Christopher's gone or is she being gently pushed out so Kingston can bring someone in he's familiar with as his #2?

[factman]

http://news.uwgb.edu/log-news/releases/ ... ion-13135/

[transfer2BGSU]

She's now a finalist (1 of 5) for the AD job at Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Does she want out now that Christopher's gone or is she being gently pushed out so Kingston can bring someone in he's familiar with as his #2?

I think its more that she wants to be an Athletic Director, so you have to apply for the open positions. Based upon the candidates that were listed as finalists, she has her work cut out for her. Two candidates have previous experience as D-I ADs. One is a D-II AD. And the last guy is the Interim (so he is interviewing each day for the right to keep the job).

[mscarn]

Local newspaper article after the interview. No Ohio State references noted.

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/art ... c-director

[factman]

She got the job!!!!!!

[guest44]

Best news of the day. Now can we find a school for Jimbo?

[Falcon Fanatic]

She got the job!!!!!!

Good News for Falcon Hockey....

[BGFalconfromCincy]

Best news of the day. Now can we find a school for Jimbo?

But if he leaves, and then Coach Orr gets relieved of his duties, who are you guys gonna complain about