Director of Men's Athletics
University of Tennessee

The toughest part of Mike Hamilton's first year as the University of Tennessee Director of Men's Athletics may have been getting his feet back on the ground.

Nothing like the fulfillment of a career goal to send your spirits soaring into the upper reaches of the Smoky Mountains.

Fortunately for the Vols -- and for Hamilton -- he suffered no such distractions and transitioned smoothly into an outstanding rookie campaign leading one of the nation's top athletics programs.

"I've always believed the University of Tennessee athletics director's job was one of the best positions in the nation," he said. "When you enter any business, most people want to achieve at the highest level. Certainly, the athletics director's role at Tennessee provides that opportunity."

Hamilton took the opening and ran with it. He wasted no time putting his imprint on the organization by naming first a chief financial officer and then a director of public relations -- thus meeting a pair of major needs he identified for the organization when he accepted his new post.

The former hire helped effectively cut UT's athletics budget by almost $2 million; the latter aided Hamilton's emphasis on customer service initiatives by offering more personal contact and exposure to Tennessee fans and extended national media.

"Tennessee has a tremendous fan base, and I want to ensure we do everything we can to create a fan-friendly environment," he said. One of Hamilton's first tasks as athletics director was the launch of "Ask Mike," an e-mail hotline that allows fans quick access to Hamilton for their comments, suggestions and concerns through the UT athletics Web site.

Hamilton also instituted a fan information system -- both outside Neyland Stadium and within Thompson-Boling Arena -- of booths manned by UT staffers to help fans find their way around. A promotional highlight of the 2003 football season was a celebration of the "25 Millionth Fan" to enter Neyland Stadium since official records keeping began.

In his first full year as AD, Hamilton made a point to be accessible to Tennessee fans, speaking to more than 75 civic organizations, community groups and university organizations and participating in nearly 100 print, television and radio interviews.

From the day of his appointment, July 1, 2003, Hamilton kept a busy schedule consistent with his desire to run a tight and effective ship. Saying he was "energized" when he accepted the athletics director's position, Hamilton continues to provide new and exciting ventures for the Volunteer Family to experience.

He initiated a "Letterman's Reunion Weekend," set for the football season opener Sept. 5 against UNLV that includes retro jerseys for the Vols as well as invitations to all former Tennessee football players and their families to return to Knoxville for a weekend of get-togethers and fellowship.

All part of Hamilton's new customer service platform. "I take the legacy of University of Tennessee athletics very seriously, with names like Nathan Dougherty, Gen. Robert Neyland, Bob Woodruff, John Barnhill and Doug Dickey," Hamilton said. "It's a dream job for me, but also a big responsibility."

Hamilton also has begun a master planning process for Neyland Stadium along with feasibility studies for Thompson-Boling Arena and Lindsey Nelson Stadium. The initial portions of Neyland Stadium were built in 1921, and UT fans have shown a great deal of interest in Hamilton's plans for the campus showpiece. Early improvements have begun, but major renovations will not happen before he has heard and analyzed the input from the Tennessee family.

On his plate each day are such projects as final construction of the McKenzie Center, the "front door" of the athletics department, the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center, the football locker room at Neyland Stadium, as well as plans for improvements to Thompson-Boling Arena and the soccer, softball and baseball facilities.

Communications -- both internal and external -- are of extreme importance to Hamilton and his management staff. Tennessee's newest athletics director recently renegotiated the department's media contract with Host Communications, resulting in immediate and substantial increases in annual income.

He also initiated, with women's Athletics Director Joan Cronan, monthly departmental staff meetings, involving all athletics employees from both the men's and women's sides to better bridge the gap between the two sectors. This move coincided with his early hires and with the recent consolidation of two assistant AD positions into one for marketing the entire UT athletics department.

Also on his mind are what he identifies as "five core values" that guide his daily tenure as athletics director including, complying with NCAA and SEC rules, competing for championship, running a financially sound operation, graduating student-athletes, and continuing a pattern of service to the community and state, with the athletics department as a positive role model.

Under Hamilton's leadership, Tennessee experienced its best year ever in fundraising in fiscal year 2004 and successfully completed the STEP UP campaign, exceeding the goal of $44.25 million by raising a record $48.61 million in the department's first comprehensive capital campaign. Hamilton previously filled the position of Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Operations, earning that promotion in September 2002, and has been on the UT staff since 1992.

In his former senior associate athletics director's post, the title carried full responsibility for UT's annual donors' program as well as all capital and planned giving. He assumed additional responsibilities in 2002-03 for men's basketball and athletics marketing and promotional efforts.

Gifts to the Volunteer Athletics Scholarship Fund (VASF) alone increased from $4 million a year prior to Hamilton's arrival to $13 million in 2003. Total development gifts -- including VASF annual gifts, capital fund-raising, endowment and gifts-in-kind -- will increase again by $2.5 million in 2004 to better than $23 million overall.

Hamilton was honored in the spring of 1998 when NAADD named him National Fund Raiser of the Year.

The 41-year-old Hamilton, who grew up in Brevard, N.C., served as assistant director of the Deacon Club at Wake Forest University before joining the Vols staff in 1992. He earlier had served as a graduate assistant in fundraising at his alma mater, Clemson University.

During his time in the development office at Tennessee, additions to the campus landscape included: Neyland Stadium north end zone upper deck, east side sky boxes and JumboTron, Lindsey Nelson Stadium, Goodfriend Tennis Center, Thornton Athletics Student Life Center, renovations to Tom Black Track and the Tennessee Boat House.

"I think Tennessee collectively has the best coaches in the nation and an athletics staff that's dedicated to supporting their endeavors," Hamilton continued. "We have an outstanding support base that gives us an opportunity to be successful on a national level. I certainly want to keep that tradition moving forward, even though I know there are always challenges in front of us to remain at the top.

"It had been a goal of mine to become an athletics director at some period during my career. The realization of that goal at the University of Tennessee was the fulfillment that any athletics administrator would hope to obtain."

In addition to improving his management skills as an associate AD, Hamilton also took advantage in 2001 and 2002 of planned programs like the Athletic Director's Institute in Dallas. The institute, sponsored by the I-A Athletic Director's Association, is a three-day seminar for associate and assistant athletics directors from Division I-A programs around the country who are being groomed to become athletics directors.

"Mike is somebody that has impressed me in a major way," said Dutch Baughman, the association's executive director.

"His ability to be open-minded about the institute impressed me so much that several years ago I asked him to return to our annual meeting a few months later and relate his experiences. He stepped right up there and delivered an unbelievably good presentation."

Hamilton is active in the community, serving as a board member for the Knoxville Area Chamber Partnership and most recently as the chair of its annual membership campaign. He also is actively involved with Bethany Christian Services and the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. In June 2004, he was selected to Leadership Knoxville Class of 2005.