West Jax Rotary

Alan Verlander
Director of Athletics, Jacksonville Unoversity

Since Alan Verlander has taken over as Director of Athletics, JU athletics has gained stature and prominence in the community and recognition nationwide.

Verlander, who spent the five years as associate athletic director at Samford University, has been a breath of fresh air for JU athletics and the results have been astounding.

In his fourth year on the job, JU has laid claim to 13 Atlantic Sun Conference titles and made 12 appearances in NCAA Tournaments. Additionally, the crew program captured the state championship in 2007 and 2008 while the football program won the Pioneer Football League title for the first-time ever in 2008.

A highlight in his first year (2006), JU hosted the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament and successfully bid on having the tournament return to Jacksonville in 2010.

JU facilities have been overhauled as well. Baseball’s John Sessions Stadium has been expanded with the addition of the state-of-the-art scoreboard/videoboard. JU has also seen the creation of the Keith Watson Family Tennis Complex and a brand-new softball stadium and press box, a facelift to the Ashley Sports Complex - home to the men’s and women’s soccer teams and the construction of the $3 million Negaard Rowing Center on the St. Johns River.

The most recent renovation came during the summer of 2008 as Swisher Gymnasium received a facelift, creating new locker rooms and a team meeting room.

He also led the effort in returning JU basketball to the “Downtown” area, as the Dolphins now call the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena their home. Since moving the home games to the Arena, JU has seen its average attendance double since his first season.

The 2007-08 basketball season saw JU finish second in the conference in average home attendance and had the largest crowd, close to 7,000 fans, since a sellout against North Carolina in the early 1990s.

In addition to facility upgrades, Verlander has worked hard to get all 18 teams successful in the classroom as well. Upon his hire, 10 teams were under the 925 NCAA APR (Academic Progress Rate) bar. In 2008, only three teams will be below the 925 mark. He currently serves as a national member of the NCAA Recruiting and Personnel Issues Cabinet, which sets and monitors all NCAA legislation for Recruiting and Personnel Issues.

In the spring of 2008, under Verlander’s guidance, JU announced the addition of two new varsity sports that will begin competition in 2010 with men’s and women’s lacrosse. The men’s team will be the first Division I team in the state with women’s team becoming the second.

Verlander, 36, is a Jacksonville native who worked at the University of North Florida and with the Gator Bowl Association before leaving the First Coast in 1997. He is a 1990 graduate of the Bolles School and his grandfather, Ash Verlander, served as Chairman of JU’s Board of Trustees from 1982-85.

Verlander is responsible for the planning and development of the Dolphin intercollegiate athletic program. His responsibilities include selection and management of coaching and administrative staff, development and management of the department’s $7 million annual operating budget, fundraising, marketing and promotions, academic enhancement and support, compliance with conference and NCAA regulations, supervision of athletic events and oversight of recruitment and retention of student-athletes.

Verlander spent five years as associate athletic director for external operations at Samford, where he oversaw the Samford Athletic Foundation, facility improvements, the corporate partnership program, ticket sales, athletic media relations, marketing & promotions, broadcast operations, licensing & merchandising and the Bulldogs’ official athletic web site.

During his tenure at Samford, the Bulldogs saw dramatic increases in individual and corporate giving, as well as record attendance and ticket sales in nearly every sport. Samford-branded merchandise also experienced record growth, while the Bulldogs’ television, radio and Internet coverage was enhanced and expanded to include football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball, women’s soccer and volleyball.

Prior to working at Samford, Verlander spent two years as national sales executive for Host Communications in Atlanta, where he was responsible for securing corporate partners for the Southeastern and Big 12 Conferences, in addition to all colleges and universities represented by Host.

Verlander was the director of marketing and promotions for the Gator Bowl Association in Jacksonville from April of 1995 until July of 1997. He directed all sales of corporate sponsors, which totaled more than $1.8 million, while also managing game operations and serving as a liaison with NBC and the Atlantic Coast and Big East Conferences.

Verlander graduated with his B.A. in speech communications from Samford in 1994, where he earned three varsity letters in baseball. He obtained a master’s degree in Strategic Communication and Leadership from Seton Hall University in 2007. He and his wife, Bonnie, have four daughters: Abby (11), Kate (8), Maggie (6) and Mary (5).

Notes
The Rotary Club of West Jacksonville enjoyed a field trip to Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, home of the Jacksonville Jaguars last week. Before the tour of the field, training area and locker room, the club was given a presentation by the Jaguar organization of how we can buy tickets to 2009 regular season games and raise money for Polio Eradication and the Rotary Foundation. The Jaguars will make $62 tickets available to our club for only $50. For every group of 10 tickets sold, the Jaguars will donate $100 in our club’s name to the Rotary Foundation. If interested in participating in this program and forming a group of 10, please see Bill Howey.

After the presentation, club members were treated to a behind the scenes tour of the stadium. President John Runion showed off his incredible strength by benching an enormous amount of weight.

On Saturday, July 25th, the club stepped up to the challenge of selling 14,000 pounds of blueberries. A complete recap of the fundraiser is available online.

Birthdays
Mark Hulsey — July 24
John Barley — July 25
David Cooksey — July 25
Bill Andrews — July 26
Craig Hartwig — July 26
Frank Surface — July 31

Next Meeting - August 5, 2009
Speaker: Mayor John Peyton
Greeters: Jerry Mackoul and Cecil Gibson
Invocation: Veronica James
Pledge: Johnny McClow
Four-Way Test: Jimmy Kelly

Please review the 2009 - 2010 Duty Roster and mark your calendar with your responsibilities for the upcoming year.