From http://www.goblackbears.com - Umaine Athletics
March 12, 2003
NERO NAMED ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AT UMAINE; NEWS CONFERENCE SET FOR THURSDAY
ORONO -- Patrick Nero, the senior associate athletic director at the
University of Miami, will return to his native New England to become the
University of Maine's director of athletics. UMaine President Peter S. Hoff
announced today that he has chosen Nero from among the three finalists who
visited the university earlier this month. Hoff said today that he would
recommend Nero's appointment to Chancellor Westphal and the Board of
Trustees.
"Patrick Nero embodies the attributes we were looking for in an athletic
director," Hoff says. "He has an impressive record of achievement in a
15-year career during which he has worked in successful, well-managed
athletic departments at top academic institutions. Patrick was destined to
get an athletic director's job very soon. We are pleased that it will be at
the University of Maine."
Nero is a Rhode Island native and a 1987 graduate of Providence College,
where he was a classmate of UMaine baseball coach Paul Kostacopoulos. He
began his athletic administration career at his alma mater, where he worked
as director of athletic development from 1988-92. From Providence, Nero
moved to Lamar University in Beaumont, Tex., where he was assistant athletic
director for two years. He worked as assistant A.D. at Marquette University
from 1994-96, when he moved to the University of Miami.
He expects to begin work at UMaine on April 15.
At Miami, Nero oversees the external operations of the athletic department,
including functions such as fundraising, corporate sales, marketing, sports
information, ticket sales, retail licensing and e-commerce. He manages a
staff of 42 employees. Nero's success in fundraising includes direction at
Miami of a $100 million capital campaign, which has so far yielded funding
for a student-athlete weight training facility, a soccer/track stadium, a
new basketball arena (to be completed in December) and a baseball stadium
renovation scheduled to begin at mid-year.
"While we were looking for someone with a fundraising track record, that was
only part of the equation," Hoff says. "We have talked with Patrick and many
others who are familiar with his work and his background and we are very
pleased with all aspects of his background and experience. He has a very
good sense of the position of athletics in an academic environment; he has
excellent management skills; and he has demonstrated outstanding leadership
ability."
The other finalists who visited UMaine for interviews were Robert Corran,
the athletic director at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and Jody
Mooradian, the senior associate athletic director and senior woman
administrator at Northeastern University.
Hoff extended his thanks to Corran and Mooradian, along with the other
candidates in the original pool of 50 applicants, for their interest in the
UMaine position.
"The extensive interest in this opening and the extraordinary group of
finalists indicate the high regard in which Black Bear athletics and the
University of Maine are held," Hoff says.
Nero will replace Suzanne Tyler, who stepped down from the UMaine athletic
director's job last May. Paul Bubb, UMaine's senior associate athletic
director, has severed as interim A.D. since then.
The search was conducted by an eleven-member search committee chaired by
Diana Lawson, associate dean in the UMaine College of Business, Public
Policy and Health. Betsy Alden of Alden and Associates in Amherst, Mass.
worked with the university as a search consultant.
Editors note: President Hoff and Patrick Nero will hold a news conference at
UMaine on Thursday, March 13 at 12 noon. The news conference will take place
in the Treat Room of Buchanan Alumni House.
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