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Instead of maids-a-milking, it is motivation; dreaming big replaces drummers drumming; and professionalism trumps the partridge in a pear tree. Each represents a different message and each embodies a quality critical for success in collegiate athletics. Thank you to each of you and a happy new year to all!

Don't Waste Opportunities
Pat Meiser- Athletic Director- University of Hartford
In two years at the University of Hartford I have held three different positions. I started as the University as the Assistant Director of Facilities and Operations, moved to Assistant Marketing Director, and was promoted to Assistant AD for External Relations. I now negotiate television contracts, oversee corporate relations, act as program administrator for women's soccer, and sit on the Athletic Director's Council. Athletic Director Pat Meiser has advocated for me throughout my time at Hartford and has challenged me to take on new and difficult tasks. I have worked hard to capitalize on each of the added responsibilities. Pat has allowed me to climb the administrative ladder and expand my skill set. I am sure the experiences I have had at Hartford will prove invaluable throughout my career in collegiate athletics.

Motivation
Jim Fiore- Athletic Director, Stony Brook University
I have left every conversation I have ever had with Jim Fiore feeling better than I did before talking with him. He is the ultimate motivator and is hyper-positive. His diction is coach-like and he seems to be rallying the person on the other end of every conversation to "win the game."

As AD at Stony Brook University on Long Island, he has completely transformed a former Division III school into one of the top contenders in the Division I America East Conference. His football team advanced past the first round of the NCAA FCS Tournament for the first time in school history, his men's basketball team hosted Big Ten member Illinois in front of a sell-out crowd during the 2009-10 NIT Tournament, and he has overseen upgrades in nearly every athletic facility on campus. He has created a culture of winning, professionalism, and enthusiasm and he challenges his staff to operate at their best. He knows how to make someone feel valued, motivates like a coach, and is a tireless advocate for his program. Stony Brook, under the leadership of Jim Fiore, is truly a mid-major that acts like a major.

Believe in the Big Time
Rick Boyages- Associate Commissioner- Men's Basketball, Big Ten Conference
Rick Boyages has one of the most powerful positions in men's basketball in the country. A former coach at Bates College, Boston College, William & Mary, and Ohio State, Rick has worked at every level of college basketball. I have known Rick since my graduation from college, and he has been my mentor ever since.

Between negotiating television contracts, flying between major Division I games, and assigning officials for the Big Ten, Rick has always found time to take my phone calls and give unwavering support and advice. Rick has instilled the belief that through hard work, dedication, and capitalizing on opportunities I can also achieve my dreams in college athletics. Rick has shown me that acting big time and being big time are two very different personas. He lets his work speak for itself and is quick to give praise and credit to others. Rick Boyages is big time--and he never has to tell anyone he is.

Hard Work and Attitude
Ryan Bamford- Associate Athletic Director- Internal Operations, Georgia Tech Athletic Association
I worked under Ryan when he was an Assistant Athletic Director at Yale University. Whenever his name is brought up, the first comment other administrators make is about how hard he has worked. While at Yale, he went from intern to a senior associate athletic director in a very short time frame.

Last spring, he accepted a position at Georgia Tech overseeing internal operations. Ryan has shown me that hard work, preparation, efficiency, and an unwavering positive attitude leads directly to professional success. He has earned every promotion and every position he has held, and the correlation between his work ethic and professional success is no accident. Ryan taught me to always be prepared, and showed me finishing a task fast and finishing a task well are not one in the same.

Ethics in Sport
Brian Barrio- Associate Director of Athletics- Compliance, Pepperdine University
Ethical standards are arguably the most important virtues of a collegiate compliance officer. A graduate of Boston College, Brian has worked at the University of Southern California, the America East Conference, and now Pepperdine University. Brian has achieved success due to the ethical standards he has set for himself and his compliance office.

I talk with Brian often and seek his advice on issues frequently. He understands cause and effect and the impact of immediate actions on the bigger picture. His methodology and succinct thinking make him a great compliance officer as well as a perfect sounding board for ideas. Brian has achieved success with a strong set of ethics. He has shown me that success can be gained without cutting corners.

Professionalism
Tim Ford- Senior Associate Athletic Director- Development/Outreach, Yale University
Yale is a very special place. A global institution steeped in tradition, Yale produces some of the brightest minds in the world. Yale has graduated Heisman Trophy winners, produced All-Americans, educated presidents, and supplied Fortune 500 companies with strong leaders. Yale is respected worldwide, and Tim Ford is a worthy torchbearer for Yale Athletics.

Tim Ford is respectful, positive, and exudes professionalism. He is impeccably dressed, remembers the names of the people he comes in contact with, and is prompt in replying to phone calls or emails. Tim has shown me the importance of professionalism. He demands the respect of his employees and leads through example on a daily basis at Yale. He understands the importance of a thank you note and doesn't hesitate to lend advice when asked. In a time where scandals are publicized within college sports, Tim represents the other end of the spectrum--a true professional who is ethically sound.

Attention to Detail
Ciaran Cullen- Assistant Director- Flynn Fund Operations, Boston College Athletics
Ciaran and I first met as graduate teaching fellows at Springfield College. We worked side-by-side for two years both in class and within the Springfield College Athletic Department. I have also spent the last year and a half working at the University of Hartford with Ciaran in the Marketing Department.

On a daily basis, Ciaran attempted to bring perfection to every task he undertook. From editing sponsor contracts to creating in-game graphics, Ciaran valued the details. Ciaran's ability to break down promotions from an idea to the nuts and bolts of execution has been invaluable to the Marketing and Promotions intern who learned under him. Ciaran can see detail while understanding the larger scope and direction of a project--something that made him a valuable asset to the Hartford marketing office and will undoubtedly help him be successful at Boston College.

Dream Big
Dan Doyle- Founder and Executive Director, Institute for International Sport
The Institute for International Sport is based on the campus of the University of Rhode Island and began as Dan Doyle's graduate level thesis. From a thesis, it has become a highly successful non-profit which spreads the mission of peace, education, sportsmanship, and positive thought--all through the context of sport.

Dan's background is as dynamic as the Institute. He has worked as Sugar Ray Leonard's promoter, coached college basketball at Trinity College, penned several books, and founded the New England Basketball Hall of Fame, National Sportsmanship Day, and the Youth Peace Summit. He has appeared on ESPN to share expert advice on a variety of topics and delivers speeches across the country on sportsmanship, ethics, and peace. Dan is the ultimate dreamer and has shown me that it is possible to turn a dream into reality.

Working for Dan at the Institute for a year, I saw first hand how to turn an idea into fruition. In my first meeting with him, about six months after graduating from college, he challenged me to start a publishing company under the umbrella of the Institute. I had no knowledge of the printing or publishing business, hadn't been published myself, and the only business I had ever started was a basketball camp. Working alongside Dan, we established the Hall of Fame Press and the first book published under the company was Bill Reynolds' Our Game: The Story of New England Basketball. After working for Dan I have had the confidence to dream big and work towards those dreams without hesitation.

Passion for Learning
Dr. Craig Poisson- Senior Associate Athletic Director, Springfield College
Dr. Poisson is the most dynamic administrator I have ever met. If asked what his job is, he will coyly answer, "tables and chairs." In reality, he handles all scheduling for Springfield's 30+ varsity and junior varsity athletic programs. He also runs all internal operations, oversees game management, and teaches graduate classes. He deflects all praise to the people who work for him, is an excellent father, values family above everything else, and teaches with the same enthusiasm and intensity he brings to his position within the Springfield College Athletic Department.

As Springfield College's Athletic Administration professor for graduate level students, I had the privilege of taking his class. I wish his class could be a prerequisite for every aspiring athletic administrator--he teaches everything from contracts to scheduling to game management. His most famous in-class assignment is simply known on campus as the "in-basket." This class-long exercise puts students in the role of AD and gives each a list of tasks that have to be completed over the course of a fictional day. The assignment is complete with visits from local press members, call-ins from coaches on the road, and emails from frantic alums. The purpose is to force students to prioritize--something that every administrator faces every hour of the day. Dr. Poisson has taught me to treat my career as a life-long learning project.

Since meeting him, I have put tremendous value on conferences, journal articles, and seminars. Dr. Poisson planted a bug inside me to constantly learn, better myself, and expand my knowledge base within athletics. He embodies the teacher-coach model, except his players are young collegiate administrators.

Quality of Life Indicators
Joe Reilly- Head Men's Basketball Coach, Wesleyan University
Joe Reilly was my basketball coach at Bates College. Bates is a small Division III liberal arts college in Lewiston, Maine and is a member of the NESCAC. Although he is both committed to winning and very competitive like most college basketball coaches, he understands the necessary balance between basketball, schoolwork, and social activities.

Coach has developed an entire mantra of life/work balance and he has coined the phrase, "quality of life indicator" to show the positives in day-to-day life. For example, during the summer Coach Reilly works camps, surfs, takes vacation time with his family,and recruits. He tries to go the entire summer wearing shorts rather than dressing in game-day attire. He is always quick to point out that success in this venture is a great "quality of life indicator." My office has adopted this philosophy at Hartford. Heading out of the office to the field for an afternoon soccer game or interacting with student-athletes, for example, both rank as high "quality of life indicators".

Belief in Abilities
Rachel Gerrity- Associate Director, CELS, Connecticut College
I have been married to Rachel for over four years, and I could not ask for a better wife. We met at Bates College where she was Phi Beta Kappa and floated a GPA over 3.9. Perhaps it is part of her duties as spouse, but I have never encountered a bigger advocate for my career in my life. She believes in me, believes in my abilities as an administrator, and pushes me to excel. When I was just an intern and starting my career, she treated me as if I was a Director of Athletics.

Every step of my career she has pushed me to excel and backed me with positive reinforcement. She is one of the smartest people I know and I work hard each and every day in part to let her know she married the right person!

The Value of Education
My Family
From an early age my parents taught me the value of education. My father earned his law degree from William & Mary and my mother gained her teaching certificate from Sam Houston State University. In my household growing up, college was the only option upon graduation from high school. Due in large part to advice from my parents, I attended Bates College.

At the time, I didn't understand how many doors my Bates degree would open later in life. Looking back, I am thankful my parents pushed me to attend a great college. While pursuing a graduate degree at Springfield College, I had the opportunity to work with high school students in the South End of Springfield, Massachusetts. As a mentor to this group of kids, I tried to stress the importance of education--echoing the messages my parents ingrained in me. Without their love, support, and guidance it would have been impossible for me to be where I am today.

Brian Gerrity is Assistant Athletic Director for External Relations at the University of Hartford. You can follow him on Twitter at: www.Twitter.com/briangerrity.