Colorado State University announces athletic director search committee, hiring of search firm DHR International

Ram sports greats, academic leaders, professional sports executives, students, campus and community representatives have been chosen to help find next athletic director at Colorado State University.

Twenty-one people, all with ties to the university, have agreed to serve on the search committee, which will be chaired by Loren Crabtree, longtime CSU academic leader and former chancellor of the University of Tennessee. Crabtree will lead a national search to find the right person for the job.

“This group of people has demonstrated both a love for Colorado State University and a shared ambition for our future in athletics,” President Tony Frank said. “I will look to this group to help us find the leadership that will boost our athletic department to the next level. And with the amazing successes and broad backgrounds represented on this committee, I am confident they’ll do a great job.”

CSU has hired DHR International, one of the world’s leading search firms, to help find the right candidate for the job. DHR has led numerous searches for college athletic directors in the U.S. and coaches around the world. Universities utilizing DHR’s services in past searches include Stanford, Maryland, Virginia, Miami, Kansas, Northwestern and UC-Berkeley.

“Colorado State is a great public university and we believe this is one of the best jobs in the country,” said Glenn Sugiyama, executive vice president and Global Practice Leader of Sports for DHR’s Chicago office. “We’re looking forward to helping fill this important role to find the right leader to move the athletic department to the next level.”

 Community, business and sports leaders
• Sonny Lubick — the most successful football coach in Colorado State history.
• Darren O’Donnell – Vice president Denver Broncos, CSU alum and former CSU student-athlete.
• Jim Kellogg – Vice president Colorado Rockies, CSU alum.
• Dick Robinson — Denver community leader and CSU alum.
• Jennifer Fisher – CSU softball coach and former CSU student-athlete.
• David and Paula Edwards – Fort Collins community leaders and CSU donors, and David is CSU alum.
• Linda Clark — past president and board member Ram Club, CSU alum.
CSU academic and athletic leaders
• Albert Bimper – Senior associate athletic director for diversity, assistant professor of Ethnic Studies, former CSU student-athlete and NFL player.
• Blanche Hughes – Vice President for Student Affairs at CSU.
• Brett Anderson – Vice President for Advancement at CSU, donor, alum.
• Seth Butler – graduate student and former CSU student-athlete.
• Shalini Shanker – Associate athletic director for compliance at CSU.
• Steve Cottingham – Senior associate athletic director for finance at CSU.
• Christine Susemihl – Senior associate athletic director for internal operations at CSU.
• Ann Gill – Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at CSU.
• Jim Francis – Faculty athletic representative to CSU Athletic Department.
• Leslie Taylor – Assistant vice president for Enrollment Communications at CSU.
CSU employee councils/representatives
• Susan LaRue, professor of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences and chair of the Faculty Council Standing Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics.
• Dave Mornes, Assistant to the director of Biomedical Sciences at CSU, representative of the Administrative Professional Council.
• Jeff Sturgeon, Program assistant in the Office of Engagement, chairman of the Classified Personnel Council.

In addition, the Associated Students of Colorado State and Student Athlete Advisory Council will have representatives on the committee.

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