The Georgia Southern athletic director search committee
Ron Core, Ph.D., Georgia Southern University Vice President for Business and Finance (Committee Chairman)
Phillip Moore (’82), Chairman, Georgia Southern Athletic Foundation Inc.
Cathy Beene, Associate Athletic Director, Senior Woman Administrator
Chris Geyerman, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Faculty Athletic Representative
Michelle Reidel, Ph.D., Associate Professor, College of Education, Member of University Athletics Committee
Patrice Buckner Jackson, Dean of Students
Chris Riley (’92), Chief of Staff, Gov. Nathan Deal
Bruce Yawn, Community Member, Statesboro
Morgan Springer, Student Athlete, Georgia Southern Women’s Soccer
Rodney Hennon, Head Coach, Georgia Southern Baseball
Georgia Southern University took a big step forward Monday in its search for the next athletic director when it announced that Atlanta-based Parker Executive Search firm was selected as a consultant.
A 10-person selection committee made up of Georgia Southern faculty and staff, the Statesboro community, GSU alumni and a current student-athlete also was announced.
Parker Executive Search estimates four to five weeks to complete an athletic director search, but works within the client’s timeline.
With Sam Baker, the director of athletics for the past 17 years whose resignation was announced on July 27, staying on until a replacement is found, Georgia Southern is in no hurry to make the new hire.
“There is no set timeline to announce a hire,” said Christian Flathman, the university’s director of marketing and communications, Monday in an email. “Although these searches typically move along at a reasonable pace, the University is going to take as much time as it takes to find the most outstanding candidate for the position.”
Parker Executive Search’s practices include searches in the fields of academic health sciences and health care, corporate, higher education and sports. The firm is also currently conducting the search for the founding dean of Georgia Southern University’s newly established Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Information Technology, according to the firm’s website.
The firm has conducted AD searches for the University of Georgia, Tennessee-Chattanooga, Notre Dame, Oregon, Texas A&M and Arizona State, including many others.
Through a set contract, Georgia Southern will pay the firm $60,000 for its services, plus any out-of-pocket expenses, according to Flathman.
The 10-person search committee will evaluate the candidates identified by the firm, and identify the top finalists, who will be brought to campus for interviews.
Georgia Southern will not release the names of candidates until the finalists have been selected and on-campus interviews have been set. No timeline has been set for the interviews.
The committee was selected to present a diverse range of perspectives.
“The search committee includes individuals that represent a wide range of perspectives and I am confident that they will help the University identify and recommend the best candidates to lead Georgia Southern Athletics,” University President Brooks Keel in a statement.
The GSU fall athletics season is already underway with men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball having started non-conference play. The football season begins Saturday when the Eagles face Jacksonville University at Paulson Stadium at 6 p.m.
Matt Yogus may be reached at (912) 489-9408.
