June 9, 2008

Mike Alden, University of Missouri, Central Region Mike Alden is in his 10th year as director of athletics at the University of Missouri, and 23rd year overall in athletics administration. Under his direction, Mizzou athletics has ranked among the Big 12's elite in graduation rates, while leading the conference in Academic Progress Rates (APR) each of the past two years. Four Missouri sports earned recognition from the NCAA for their APR scores. Athletically, 41 teams have earned top-25 finishes at NCAA Championships during his tenure. When Alden arrived on campus, the annual athletics budget was at $13.7 million. Today, the operating budget for the department is at a record $43.9 million. Overall, Alden has helped lead a $155 million facility revival for Mizzou athletics, adding state-of the art facilities in the Sports Park. Alden currently serves on the NCAA's Division I Managment Council and the DI Oversight Management Group, and is on the Big 12 Conference Committee for Officiating and Sportsmanship. He was added into the QEBH Honorary Society at Missouri after being named the General Robert R. Neyland Outstanding Athletics Director Award Recipient in 2004. Alden began his career as the assistant to the director of athletics at Arizona State University in 1985 and took over the reigns of the Southwest Texas University athletics department (now Texas State) in 1996.

Gene Bleymaier, Boise State University, West Region Gene Bleymaier is completing his 27th year at Boise State University. He joined the Bronco staff in 1981 and became director of athletics in February 1982. The Broncos have reached new heights during Bleymaier's tenure, including a victory in the 2007 Bowl Championship Series Fiesta Bowl. He was the guiding force in Boise State's transition from I-AA to I-A in 1996 and spearheaded the Broncos' journey from the Big Sky Conference to the Big West Conference and now into the Western Athletic Conference, capturing 84 conference championships in the process. Athletic venues at Boise State have also improved drastically under Bleymaier. Boise State student- athletes have also excelled in the classroom, ranking number one nationally for the highest graduation rates when compared to the general student body on several occasions. Bleymaier's credits include: Authoring the first NCAA proposal advocating five years of eligibility; Installing the famous "Blue Turf" in Bronco Stadium; Founding the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise in 1997; and Creating the "Beauty and the Beast" event featuring a wrestling match and women's gymnastics meet simultaneously in one facility.Bleymaier has served as the WAC representative on the NCAA Division I Management Council and is also past president of the Division I Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association. Prior to coming to Boise State, Bleymaier served as an assistant athletics director at UCLA.

Bob Mulcahy, Rutgers University, Northeast Region Innovation, achievement and excellence have been the hallmarks of Bob Mulcahy's tenure as Rutgers' Director of Athletics. Mulcahy came to Rutgers in 1998 after 19 years as President and CEO of the Meadowlands Sports Complex. He is committed to the ideal that Rutgers athletics will provide the resources necessary for its student-athletes to attain success academically and athletically. Mulcahy has guided Rutgers to unprecedented success. The Scarlet Knights' football team has appeared in three consecutive bowl games, and has recorded two championships. The women's basketball program played for the National Championship in 2008, its second Final Four since 2000. In 2006-07, Rutgers was rated among the nation's elite as the Web site www.siOnCampus.com ranked the program 17th nationally. Rutgers student-athletes achieve in the classroom and in the community as well. The NCAA's most recent Academic Progress Report (APR) placed six Rutgers teams in the top 20 percent among all Division I programs, and the football team was the top-ranked Division I-A public institution. Rutgers student-athletes are committed to community involvement, and participate in such activities as Holiday Toy Drives, Student-Athlete Blood Drives, Read Across America, and hospital visits. Mulcahy's vision for excellence also provides for outstanding facilities. Rutgers has embarked on a $102 million expansion project for Rutgers Stadium, which will add 14,000 seats. Capital improvements have resulted in the expansion of the Hale Center, making it one of the finest of its kind. Enhancements in the Louis Brown Athletic Center have included an expanded strength facility, modernized office space, upgraded locker rooms and improved academic facilities.

Ron Wellman, Wake Forest University, Southeast Region Ron Wellman is in his 15th year as director of athletics at Wake Forest University (WFU) and was recently named the Sports Business Journal Athletics Director of the Year for 2008. Since taking over the Deacon athletics department, Wellman has seen a myriad of his sports rise to national prominence, including the 2006 football squad that earned a BCS bowl berth. Wake Forest has also embarked on an ambitious facility improvement program under Wellman, with almost every athletics facility undergoing recent upgrades, if not complete makeovers. Wellman has also taken an active roll on the national level. He has served on the NCAA Division I Management Council and was chairman in 2005-06. He has served as chairman of the NCAA Baseball Committee and as president of the Division I-A Athletic Directors' Association. He is also a member of the NCAA Diversity Leadership Strategic Planning Committee and chairs the NCAA Baseball Academic Enhancement Committee. Wellman earned his first AD job at Elmhurst College before moving to Mankato State (MN) University in 1986 and Illinois State University in 1987.