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University of California, Berkeley Launches Search for AD

January 17, 2018
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Berkeley, California, January 16, 2018 – The University of California, Berkeley has retained executive search firm Witt/Kieffer to assist in the search of its next Director of Intercollegiate Athletics (“AD”). The new executive will replace current AD Mike Williams, who announced his retirement in August 2017 and and will step down by May 6, 2018.

“This is a truly important leadership recruitment for our University. The opportunities as well as challenges in college athletics today are significant,” said University chancellor Carol Christ. “We have had very productive conversations with the consultants at Witt/Kieffer on our objectives and aspirations for our Intercollegiate Athletics program; about our dedication to our student-athletes and department employees, and about our unique institutional mission and culture. With their help I am confident that our next AD will be ready and able to lead the program into a new era of excellence consistent with the standards and values of our extraordinary University."

The recruitment will be led by Greg Santore, principal and leader of Witt/Kieffer’s Sports Leadership Practice, as well as senior partner Zachary Smith, PhD, deputy managing partner for Witt/Kieffer’s Education Practice, and consultant Katy Young, senior associate in Sports Leadership. The University and consulting team will announce position specifications and a timeline for completion of the search soon.

“The AD role at Cal is an exceptional opportunity and there will be tremendous interest in this position,” noted Santore. “It is critical that Cal’s next Director of Intercollegiate Athletics be able to carry on a great legacy while helping the University and its student athletes adapt and excel in the ever-changing world of college sports.”

About Witt/Kieffer

Witt/Kieffer is the nation’s preeminent executive search firm supporting organizations improving the quality of life, including those in education, healthcare, academic medicine, life sciences, sports, and the not-for-profit sector. It also serves clients through its Board Services, Information Technology, and Leadership Solutions practices, which offer services that further strengthen client enterprises. For more information, please visit WittKieffer.com. 

Discussion from...

University of California, Berkeley Launches Search for AD

8,774 Views | 23 Replies | Last: 6 yr ago by Jeff82
Golden One
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It's about time, since Williams announced his retirement 5 months ago.
bear2034
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Carol Christ previously stated the University should get their crap together before the new AD comes in because she doesn't think it's fair for the AD to come in and get screwed over with issues that aren't his or her responsibility to fix. So I guess they're ready and now is the time to hire?
MoragaBear
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Staff
This is just the formal part of the search.

They're much farther down the road than that.
socaliganbear
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We're prob at the final vetting of our top two choices before we go public, stage of the hire.
MoragaBear
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Staff
Right. They're much father down the line than one might infer from the press release.
bluehenbear
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From the consultant web site:

Recent Searches
  • Drew Galbraith Named Director of Athletics at Trinity College. Read more.
  • Samantha Huge selected as William & Mary Athletics Director. Read more.
  • Case Western Reserve University names Amy Backus Athletic Director. Read more.
  • Columbia University names Peter Pilling Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education. Read more.
  • Lindenwood University names Brad Wachler as VP of Intercollegiate Athletics. Read more.
  • Tufts University names John Morris as Athletic Director. Read more.

Seems like finding Div1 P5 conference ADs is new to this firm?
socaliganbear
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Also read he did Northwestern and Georgetown. But again, Cal prob already has their targets.
Golden One
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MoragaBear said:

Right. They're much father down the line than one might infer from the press release.
Great!
bluehenbear
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http://www.wittkieffer.com/executive-search/Gregory-R-Santore/81

Current Searches
Bucknell University | Director of Athletics | Lewisburg, PA
Muskingum University | Director of Athletics | New Concord, OH
Stockton University | Dean, School of Health Sciences | Galloway, NJ
West Chester University | Director of Athletics | West Chester, PA
Yale University | Director of Athletics | New Haven, CT

Also:
http://www.wittkieffer.com/file/WK%20Best%20Practices%20in%20AD%20Recruiting_July%202016.pdf
socaliganbear
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This is where I saw Northwestern. Not sure where I got Georgetown...

https://yalecollege.yale.edu/deans-office/messages/update-yale-athletics-director-search
okaydo
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"University of California, Berkeley"?

It's Cal, godammnit!!!!
71Bear
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okaydo said:

"University of California, Berkeley"?

It's Cal, godammnit!!!!

Some of us prefer the formal title... Cal is merely a "nickname".
mariah3
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I agree. I prefer the formal title, The University of California!
Yogi58
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Golden One said:

It's about time, since Williams announced his retirement 5 months ago.
More of your taxes being wasted on consultants. God forbid our university officials make decisions on their own and justify their salaries.
Golden One
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Yogi Bear said:

Golden One said:

It's about time, since Williams announced his retirement 5 months ago.
More of your taxes being wasted on consultants. God forbid our university officials make decisions on their own and justify their salaries.
Amen!
Bobodeluxe
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Mike chose Mike last time. Didn't cost a cent. Do it again.
Bobodeluxe
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How about the guy who mollested the hoops players. Let him pick an AD. He has years of experience.
Bobodeluxe
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Maybe a committee formed from a list of fan site participants?
Bobodeluxe
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Find a wealthy guy who fancies magenta shirts and discreet photos of strippers? Pure motives, only.
UCBerkGrad
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Yogi Bear said:

Golden One said:

It's about time, since Williams announced his retirement 5 months ago.
More of your taxes being wasted on consultants. God forbid our university officials make decisions on their own and justify their salaries.
While I completely agree with you, the benefit of hiring a search firm is they can have "exploratory" conversations with candidates who are already employed elsewhere.

Does that justify the high fees they charge? Probably not, but we all see it everyday in the corp world.
bluehenbear
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Doesn't it seem clear that whatever new AD we get is not gonna come from another P5 program...likely it will be from a FCS, Div II or Ivy...based on the connections and experience of the search consultant?
BearGreg
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Staff
Yogi Bear said:

Golden One said:

It's about time, since Williams announced his retirement 5 months ago.
More of your taxes being wasted on consultants. God forbid our university officials make decisions on their own and justify their salaries.
It's a public institution requirement in California for all hires at this salary level is what I've been told. If nothing else, they want their background and reference checking involved. Cal and Christ have been running this search independent of any search firm for months and have made significant progress.
Jeff82
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BearGreg said:

Yogi Bear said:

Golden One said:

It's about time, since Williams announced his retirement 5 months ago.
More of your taxes being wasted on consultants. God forbid our university officials make decisions on their own and justify their salaries.
It's a public institution requirement in California for all hires at this salary level is what I've been told. If nothing else, they want their background and reference checking involved. Cal and Christ have been running this search independent of any search firm for months and have made significant progress.
People are complaining about using a search firm here. Ironically, a friend was complaining last night that we didn't use a search firm before hiring Wyking Jones. Basically, whatever IAD does, a significant percentage of the peanut gallery here disagrees. Unlike the basketball coach, where we have a long list of likely suspects (see the Redux thread), I'm assuming the AD candidates are not going to be familiar to fans, so using a search firm for some part of the process makes sense to me. I do hope that there will be a release of the short list, before a final decision is made, so we can discuss the plusses/minuses of the options. That is what we do here.
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