Athletic Administrators Promoted
March 24, 2011
Corvallis, Ore. -
Oregon State University Director of Athletics Bob De Carolis announced Thursday several staff promotions. Marianne Vydra, Bob Clifford and Mark Spencer have been promoted to Senior Associate Athletic Directors, while John Cheney, Steve Fenk and Linda Hurd have been elevated to Associate Athletic Directors, and Jacque Bruns, Cecil Hairston and Nikki Pruett have been promoted to Assistant Athletic Directors.
Vydra has served as the school’s Senior Woman Administrator (a voting position within the Pac-12 Conference Council) since 1998. Prior to being promoted to the SWA position she was the Assistant Athletic Director for Academic and Student Services after initially coming to campus in 1992 as an academic counselor. Part of her responsibilities at OSU includes human resource management, staff development, as well as policy and procedure development for the department. She also oversees all of the student-athlete welfare aspects of the department and heads up the department's Everyday Champions Leadership Institute. Vydra currently supervises several men's and women's sports and was selected for the NCAA Fellows Program in 2009, graduating with her peers in June 2010. She currently is a member of the Pac-10 Women's Basketball Tournament Committee and just completed her tenure on the NCAA Women's Soccer Committee after chairing the NCAA Softball Committee for the final two years of that commitment. Vydra established the Dr. Sylvia Moore and Pat Ingram Endowed Scholarship programs as well. She currently spearheads the Football Recycling Initiative in concert with OSU's Campus Recycling Program Director. Vydra has also worked at the college athletics level at the University of Maine and Missouri State University (then SW Missouri State). She possesses a bachelor degree in biology from Missouri State and a master’s degree in student development and counseling from Maine.
Clifford has been a member of the Oregon State staff since October of 2001, and is currently the Senior Associate Athletic Director for Sports and Administration. He also directs the student-athlete wellness and welfare programs, and is a special advisor to De Carolis. In addition to his experience at OSU, Clifford has served in the athletic departments at the University of Michigan and Florida Atlantic University. Clifford, a native of Somerville, Mass., is a graduate of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing.
Spencer was named Associate Athletic Director for Business Operations at OSU in August of 2006. His responsibilities include overseeing the department's $53 million budget, coordinating the bid process for postseason events and as sport supervisor for several teams. The Rochester, N.Y. native came to OSU from Saint Louis University and has additional college experience at East Tennessee State University and the University of New Mexico. He is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and followed with a master’s degree from Georgia State University in sports administration.
Cheney has served as the Assistant Athletic Director for Facilities and Operations since July of 2005. Prior to being promoted to that role he was the Director of Operations and an Event Manager for Athletics. Cheney supervises the event management operations for all sports in addition to coordinating all capital projects and building renovations, supervision of the athletic maintenance department staff, and attending to the facility needs of all the athletic venues. The Norfolk, Neb., native is a graduate of Creighton University in psychology and has a master’s degree from OSU in business.
Fenk had served as Assistant Athletic Director for Communications since December of 2005 after serving as an assistant sports information director for 15 years. He oversees all the communications aspects of the department, including media relations. Prior to arriving at OSU, he worked at Montana State University and at the Pac-10 Conference office. The Tillamook, Ore., native has a bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University and an associate of arts degree from Mt. Hood Community College in radio production technology.
Hurd was promoted to Assistant Athletic Director and the Beaver Athletic Student Fund Director in February of 2004, before being elevated to Associate Athletic Director. She has been a key figure in the recent "Raising Reser - Expanding Beaver Nation (phases 1 and 2)" campaign, then the largest single capital fundraising component in the university's history, and has engaged “Beaver Nation” to record BASF donations. The Eugene, Ore., native came to OSU after spending 11 years at the University of Oregon, where she served as assistant director of ticket operations and an administrative assistant for the Duck Athletic Fund.
Bruns is the Assistant Athletic Director for Business Operations. The Lakeview, Ore., native started in the business office in 2004 as an intern and now is the coordinator of medical benefits for all student-athletes, manages department travel and oversees the NCAA’s annual audit. Bruns is a 2005 OSU graduate in business administration with a minor in athletics administration. She also holds a 2009 master’s degree from OSU in business administration.
Hairston has been promoted from the Director of Ticket Operations to Assistant Athletic Director for Ticket Operations. He has been on the staff at OSU since 2005, coming to the school from Bowling Green State University where he was the Assistant Director of Ticket Operations. The Columbus, Ohio native is a 2004 BGSU graduate with bachelor’s degrees in education and sport management.
Pruett serves as Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing and Promotions and is in her fourth year overall at the university. She came to Corvallis in 2006 as the Assistant Director of Promotions, a year removed from working as the Director of Ticket Operations for the Stockton Ports, a Class-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. Pruett has also worked for the Tri-City Dust Devils of the Northwest League, a Colorado Rockies affiliate. A native of Connell, Wash., Pruett graduated from the University of Puget Sound in 2003 with a degree in business.
Support Oregon State University Athletics by making your tax deductible donation to the Beaver Athletic Student Fund. For more information follow this Varsity O Facebook Page for upcoming Alumni events. Follow the Beavers on the team’s official YouTube page.
