DR. JOHN C. HITT
PRESIDENT • 19TH YEAR AT UCF • AUSTIN COLLEGE, 1962 PERSONAL PROFILE
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married to the former Martha Halsted for 48 years father of two and grandfather of two avid fisherman and golfer
GOAL DRIVEN LEADERSHIP Five Major Goals for UCF • offer the best undergraduate education in Florida • achieve international prominence in key programs of graduate study and research • provide an international focus to the curricula and research programs • become more inclusive and diverse • become America’s leading partnership university
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS A Leader in Higher Education • more than 18 years as president of the University of Central Florida o planned and won approval for a new college of medicine o doubled enrollment with enhanced academic quality o increased by sevenfold the number of doctoral degrees awarded each year o expanded research funding from $6.2 million to more than $121 million a year • more than 36 years of faculty and executive service in academic institutions o assistant professor of psychology at Tulane University o associate professor of psychology at Texas Christian University o associate dean of Texas Christian University o vice president of the Texas Christian University Research Foundation o dean of the Texas Christian University Graduate School o provost and vice president for academic affairs and professor of psychology at Bradley University o vice president for academic affairs and professor of psychology at the University of Maine o interim president of the University of Maine Academic Credentials • graduated cum laude in 1962 from Austin College (B.A. psychology) • earned master’s degree in 1964 from Tulane University (M.S. physiological psychology) • earned doctoral degree from Tulane University in 1966 (Ph.D. physiological psychology) • graduate study supported by fellowships from the Danforth Foundation and the National Science Foundation Current Civic Service Engagements • member, Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission Fundraising Campaign leadership cabinet • member, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando’s Council of Governors • member of the board, American Heart Association • member of the board, Central Florida Partnership • member of the board, Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission • member of the board, SunTrust • member of the board, United Arts of Central Florida • member, American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment Leadership Circle • chair, Conference USA Board of Directors Notable Past Service • two-term past-chair, State University Presidents Association • member, Florida Council of 100 • founder, Florida High Tech Corridor Council • two-term past-president, Florida Association of Colleges and Universities • chair, Governor’s Select Task Force on Healthcare Professional Liability Insurance • member, Florida Distance Learning Task Force • member, Orange County Chairman’s Transportation Commission • co-chair, Orange County Underage Drinking Task Force • member of the board, American Association of State Colleges and Universities • member of the board, EDUCAUSE • member of the board, Orlando Health • member of the board, Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce • member, NCAA Presidents’ Commission • board chair, Atlantic Sun Conference Selected Awards and Recognitions • Junior Achievement’s Spirit of Achievement Award, 2008 • multiple listings among the Orlando Sentinel’s 25 Most Powerful People in Central Florida and Orlando Magazine’s 50 Most Powerful People in Central Florida • Seminole Chamber of Commerce’s Lifetime Achievement Award, 2007 • Orlando Business Journal’s inaugural Legacy Award, 2006 • Orlando Sentinel’s Central Floridian of the Year, 2005 • Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission’s James B. Greene award, 2002 • Jewish National Fund’s Tree of Life award, 1999 • United Cerebral Palsy of Central Florida’s Jack Halloway Star of Gratitude, 1999 • Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce’s John Young Award, 1998 39
KEITH R. TRIBBLE
DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS • FIFTH YEAR AT UCF • FLORIDA, 1977 Upon his hiring on June 6, 2006, Keith Tribble publicly shared his two core goals in taking the director of athletics position with the University of Central Florida – “To graduate our studentathletes and compete for championships”. Since that day, everything UCF has planned and accomplished over the last four years has fit within that mission. Over three decades working in and around the collegiate community the consistency in Tribble’s background is his ability to build programs with strong foundations and dynamic infrastructure. Tribble, one of only seven African-American directors of athletics in the Football Bowl Subdivision, has quickly taken hold of the burgeoning UCF Athletics program’s blueprints and promised to lead with the two key principles that everyone associated with the program will also share. Most importantly, Tribble is committed to the concept of the well-rounded student-athlete, emphasizing the importance of their academic prowess off the field as well as championship results on. In addition, the other focal point of his concentration is the oversight of the construction, expansion and completion of the noted UCF Athletics Facilities Master Plan. When finished in 2020, the plan will have touched every-single area of the student-athletes’ well-being, including residential housing, academic and mentoring support facilities and state-of-the-art performance venues where UCF fans and supporters can cheer on the Knights. To date, Tribble has overseen $150 million in new construction and improvements to UCF athletic facilities since his arrival, and was recently approved to move forward with a $70 million facility development plan that will complete the UCF Athletics quadrant on the UCF campus. Through a renewed commitment, Tribble has been most proud of the record academic achievement of the UCF student-athletes during his first two years in Orlando. The Knights, for the fourth straight year in 2009-10, led all public institutions in Conference USA with the highest number of student-athletes on the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll with 221 representatives maintaining a 3.0 grade-point average or better. UCF’s 221 honorees represent approximately 60 percent of the school’s total student-athletes. For three straight years, through 2009, UCF student-athletes had placed the highest number on the league honor roll for all schools, public or private. UCF Athletics can now compete for C-USA championships in all sports, and has been progressing in this direction under Tribble since his first season at UCF. In recent years, the football program has played for two C-USA titles, winning in 2007. That same year, women’s soccer and softball, and members of women’s track and field, first claimed C-USA titles. In 2008-09, C-USA Coach of the Year Joi Williams led a young women’s basketball program to a memorable conference championship and NCAA Tournament invite. Men’s golf won its first C-USA championship, while finishing among the Top 10 teams nationally in 2009 and followed up in 2010 with another C-USA team title. Women’s track and field earned the school’s latest league title with a memorable finish at the 2010 C-USA Championship. Caryl Smith Gilbert’s feat earned her league coach of the year in 2010, a season following her 2009 NCAA regional coach of the year honors. Women’s soccer was ranked as high as No. 8 in the nation in 2009 and made its third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance behind 2009 C-USA Coach of the Year Amanda Cromwell. In all, UCF Athletics has or will be competing in NCAA postseason tournaments in all of its programs in the coming seasons. Tribble attended the University of Florida where he played offensive guard for three bowl teams. He graduated in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism (public relations and marketing). Tribble and his wife, Terri, have a daughter, Carlyn, and a son, Kyle.
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DAVID CHAMBERS
EXECUTIVE ASSOCIATE ATHLETICS DIRECTOR • FIFTH YEAR AT UCF • IOWA, 1983 David Chambers was named the executive associate athletics director for UCF Athletics on May 24, 2006. His primary responsibility with the UCFAA is the oversight of the Knights day-to-day organizational operations. In addition to serving as the staff administrator for the football program, Chambers also provides this role for men’s and women’s golf, softball, marketing and promotions, ticketing, communications and the compliance department. Prior to joining UCF, Chambers worked eight years in the Virginia Tech athletics department, the last five years as the senior associate athletics director for external affairs. In his role with Virginia Tech, Chambers oversaw the Hokies’ marketing and promotions, sports information and ticket operations as well as hokiesports.com and hokiesports - the newspaper. He also acted as the department’s liaison with ISP Sports, the exclusive multi-media and advertising rights holder for Virginia Tech athletics. In addition to his external duties, Chambers worked with the Virginia Tech Athletic Fund, the Hokies’ fund-raising arm, as well as assisting athletics director Jim Weaver with football scheduling.
Prior to his tenure at Virginia Tech, Chambers worked at UNLV for six years beginning as the Rebels’ director of NCAA compliance in 1992 before his promotion to associate director of athletics from 1993-98. In his later role with UNLV, Chambers oversaw the day-to-day operations of football and men’s and women’s basketball. He also accounted for the scheduling of the football and basketball programs. In addition, he supervised the department’s three assistant athletics directors who oversaw UNLV’s internal affairs and 15 varsity sports. From 1990-92, Chambers was one of 12 legislative assistants with the NCAA, providing written and oral interpretations of the organization’s legislation for member institutions. In this role, he also served as the NCAA liaison to the Big 10 Conference. He also provided rules-education seminars for various coaching organizations, served as the primary administrator for waivers of NCAA legislation and prepared litigation summaries for the national office. Chambers was a former college quarterback at Iowa and later switched to the defensive side of the ball, lettering as a strong safety in 1982 and was a starter in 1983. Under legendary head coach Hayden Fry, he was part of three postseason bowl squads: the Rose Bowl in January of 1982, as well
JEFF ULMER
SR. ASSOCIATE AD/DEVELOPMENT Jeff Ulmer was hired as the senior associate athletics director for development in July of 2009. Ulmer brings more than 20 years of institutional advancement experience from tenures at three prestigious Southeastern Conference schools. Most recently, Ulmer was at the University of Mississippi where he served as President of the UMAA Foundation. At UCF, Ulmer is the senior administrator overseeing all areas of athletics development; major gifts, fundraising and the Golden Knights Club, plus UCF’s athletics ticket sales operation. At Ole Miss, Ulmer oversaw the UMAA Foundation’s development team, with a primary mission of reaching out to alumni, donors and fans across the state of Mississippi and around the country in an effort to secure private resources for capital projects and scholarship support. Ulmer’s goal as president of the UMAA Foundation was to get out on the road and meet with the people who have supported Ole Miss throughout the years and develop a stronger network of partners, while raising the visibility of Rebel athletics throughout the state and beyond. In 2003, Ulmer was lured away from his previous employment at the University of Florida to become the assistant dean for development for Vanderbilt University’s Law School where he guided the law school through a $28 million capital campaign. Three years later he was named executive director of development for Vanderbilt’s National Commodore Club, the fund raising arm of Vanderbilt athletics. Ulmer began his development career in 1989 at UF, where he served four colleges and participated in two capital campaigns over a 15-year period. Ulmer, who grew up in Gainesville and graduated from UF, worked for one season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers strength and conditioning staff after serving in a similar capacity as a student assistant in the Gator Strength Complex.
as the Peach and the Gator Bowls in December of 1982 and 1983. He received the Football Coaches Appreciation Award in 1981 and was named to Iowa’s All-Time Strength and Conditioning Team. He played with current Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops and was not only coached by Fry, but also Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder and Barry Alvarez, the former Wisconsin Badgers head coach and the school’s current director of athletics. Chambers earned a bachelor’s of business administration in 1983, specializing in industrial relations. He was named to the Big 10 All-Academic team in 1983 and received the prestigious Forest Evashevski Scholarship Achievement Award, as well as the R.E. Romey Memorial Scholarship and the Ben Trickey Memorial Scholarship. He then received a master’s of arts degree in educational measurement and statistics from Iowa in 1985 while working as a graduate assistant. He spent the next year as an administrative assistant with the school’s athletics department, assisting with Big 10 and NCAA rules compliance and directing the senior student-athlete employment program. An attorney, Chambers attended law school at Wake Forest. He received his juris doctorate in 1989 and became licensed to practice law in North Carolina.
DAVID HANSEN
SR. ASSOCIATE AD/INTERNAL RELATIONS David Hansen joined UCF Athletics as its senior associate athletics director for internal operations in June 2006. Hansen’s primary duties include overseeing all facility development and home event operations, while administering four Knights athletics teams and two support units. Hansen directs the athletics facility development process and serves on UCF’s Master Planning Committee. Since 2006, UCF Athletics has completed building projects totaling over $63 million. The Athletics Facility Plan calls for another $70 million in construction during the next 10 years. He also serves as the sport administrator for the Knights’ men’s basketball, baseball and men’s and women’s soccer programs. Hansen oversees the strength & conditioning and equipment support units. Prior to joining the UCF staff, Hansen served as the deputy director of athletics at the University of Southern Mississippi. Hansen was the Golden Eagles’ chief operating and financial officer and also directed all facility projects while overseeing the men’s basketball and baseball programs. Hansen arrived at Southern Miss in 1999 as the school’s associate athletics director for internal affairs. In 2003, he was promoted to senior associate athletics director and two years later became the Golden Eagles’ deputy director of athletics. Before moving to Southern Miss, Hansen worked at the University of Louisiana at Monroe as the assistant athletics director for internal operations. He originally joined the ULM staff in 1994 as the director of facilities & football operations. A native of Gainesville and a 1992 graduate of the University of Florida, he worked at his alma mater as assistant football equipment manager from 1992-94. In 1990, Hansen spent time as an operations/sales assistant for the Blockbuster Bowl in South Florida. Hansen and his wife Trudy have three children, Kevin, Casey and Brian. 41
JESSICA REO SR. ASSOCIATE AD STUDENT SERVICES
Jessica Reo was promoted to senior associate athletics director for student services in July of 2008. Additionally, Reo still serves as senior woman administrator (SWA), a role she took over in the summer of 2006. The role of SWA is an important one in college athletics, especially in the governance
structure of Conference USA. In that role, Reo represents UCF in conference dealings pertaining to scheduling, championships and legislation. Reo also serves as UCF’s liaison for gender equity and Title IX issues. In addition, Reo serves as administrator of several UCF teams, including rowing, women’s cross country, men’s and women’s tennis, volleyball, women’s basketball and track and field. Prior to coming to UCF, she spent seven years at the University of Miami. There she served as a compliance coordinator for rules education and documentation for three years and spent four years as a compliance coordinator for athletic services. Reo graduated with a bachelor’s degree in
English from Florida State in 1993. During her undergraduate years she worked in the Seminoles’ sports information office and then completed a media relations internship with the Atlantic Coast Conference office after graduation. She spent two years as an assistant sports information director at Clemson University before taking a job in compliance at Miami. Reo earned a master’s degree in sports and fitness from UCF in May of 2010.
ASSOCIATE ATHLETICS DIRECTORS
JOE HORNSTEIN Communications
JOE SIMON Facilities & Operations
BRAD STRICKLIN Business Chief Financial Officer
ASSISTANT ATHLETICS DIRECTORS
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PHIL ASHLER Ticket & Sales Operations
LISA DANNER Compliance
RAELYNN McAFEE Marketing and Promotions
BRIAN REED Human Resources and Risk Management