Panel comprised of broad range of individuals leads national search to fill top sports post.

Kennesaw State University President Daniel S. Papp announced the appointment of the KSU Athletic Director Search Committee during a meeting today with the school’s Athletic Department. The panel, chaired by Professor Thomas H. Keene, includes administrators, faculty and students.

A national search will be conducted to replace David Waples, who announced his retirement last August, after serving for more than 23 years as Kennesaw State’s athletic director. Scott Whitlock, KSU’s senior associate athletic director and head softball coach, is presently serving as the university’s interim athletic director.

“Having made the transition to fielding a full-fledged NCAA Division I athletic program, KSU is now engaging in a national search to find our new athletic director,” Papp said. “We have top-notch athletic facilities – including a new, state-of-the-art soccer stadium – and we are looking for a strong leader to take the helm of our burgeoning men’s and women’s athletic programs to further guide our efforts. I am confident the search panel of students, administrators and faculty will identify the best candidates from which to make our ultimate selection.”

Members of the Athletic Director Search Committee are:

· Thomas H. Keene, professor of history and interim chair, Department of History and Philosophy; and chair, KSU Athletics Board (Committee Chair)

· John Charles Bradbury, associate professor of health, physical education and sport science, WellStar College of Heath and Human Services

· Joan Dominick, associate professor, communication; and senior year seminar course coordinator, University College

· Richard Franza, professor of management and chair, Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, Coles College of Business

· Robert A. King, head women’s soccer coach

· Louise M. Lawson, professor of statistics, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, College of Science and Mathematics

· Matthew Nagy, KSU student-athlete, Owls men’s golf

· Theodore L. Parrish, KSU Foundation trustee; principal and director of investments, The Henssler Financial Group

· Richard Siegel, KSU Foundation trustee; executive director, Cardiovascular Medicine, P.C

· Catherine Tarvin, KSU student-athlete, Owls softball

· Valerie Whittlesey, associate vice president for Academic Affairs and professor of psychology, Department of Psychology, College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Papp said the selection process will begin immediately, with the first order of business compiling the list of duties and qualifications for the position. The committee will solicit input from various internal and external constituencies. Parker Executive Search, a leading global search firm based in Atlanta, will assist the panel.

After the establishment of a candidate pool during January and early February, the committee will review the experience and qualification levels to identify candidates with superior credentials and capabilities to narrow the search pool. During late February and early March, a smaller group of candidates will be invited to campus to interview with the panel and to meet students, faculty and staff.

Papp, in consultation with the committee, plans to announce the name of the successful candidate no later than early April.