Aug. 18, 2008

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - UC Santa Barbara announced its new Director of Athletics on Monday, naming Mark Massari, formerly of Oregon State, to succeed Gary Cunningham.

Massari has been at Oregon State since 2002, most recently serving as the Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs, directing all revenue-generating, external marketing and communications activities. Cunningham has served as the Athletics Director since 1995 and announced in January that he would be stepping down from the position.

In an introduction made by Chancellor Henry Yang, he called Massari someone who "can bring us to the next new height."

To do so, Massari kept stressing one thing - that UCSB needs new facilities to turn successful programs into outstanding ones.

"This is a special place," Massari said. "As an Athletic Director you want to be at a place where you can win and this place can win. We compete against the best schools in the country academically and win and we will athletically."

Recalling a lot of his experience at turning Oregon State into a national powerhouse in baseball and a continual contender in several other Pacific-10 sports, Massari said a great deal of that had to do with athletic upgrades. He played an integral part in OSU's senior management team which successfully completed $115 million in improvements with another $40 million planned.

"Facilities need to be the difference maker," Massari said. "Kids will always look at coaches and make decisions on playing time and the feel and where they will live all the time. If you've got the facilities, then you've got a fighting chance on a national level."

Massari will begin his term near the end of September and Chancellor Yang said that both parties were so eager to make the announcement that no contract had officially been finalized.

Massari called UCSB "the gold standard of this conference", but he would like to see the programs raise their levels even higher.

"I would like to congratulate the University of California Santa Barbara on making an excellent choice. Mark Massari has a vision and drive to be successful, and that enthusiasm is contagious among his staff," Oregon State University President Ed Ray said. "He was on the forefront of helping Oregon State develop a campus-wide strategic marketing plan that has helped brand the university nationally. UCSB has hired a person who I consider to be a part of the next group of young talented athletic directors and I have no doubt he will be successful in leading the Gauchos' program."

From those who know or have worked with him, UCSB was universally congratulated on its choice of Massari, 39.

Dutch Baughman, the Executive Director of the Division 1A Athletic Directors Association called Massari "one of the brightest up-and-coming athletic administrators today," while San Jose State Athletics Director Tom Bowen said "Mark is a values-driven person who will put the university and the student's wellbeing first - always."

In his time at Oregon State, Massari helped double the marketing and sponsorship revenue when he began at Oregon State, increasing the hours on regional television and radio while also negotiating satellite radio rights with XM Radio.

"UCSB should be congratulated for hiring a very talented person in Mark Massari," said Oregon State Athletics Director Bob De Carolis. "He successfully managed a wide range of strategic and complex projects for us and I can say this without a doubt - he's been a major factor in our success at Oregon State. His ability to lead, and more importantly to produce, is an outstanding combination. He simply made us better. Our loss is truly UCSB's gain."

Prior to his stint at OSU, Massari spent three years working with the San Francisco 49ers, managing all programming, sales and marketing efforts. While directing the Niners broadcast network he doubled sponsorship advertising revenue, expanded coverage to 40 stations in four states, increased total hours of game-day and weekly programming and raised awareness and donations to player and coaches' charitable foundations.

For four years he was with the University of Miami (Fla.) as sports marketing and sales director. Massari also spent two years in the athletic department at Saint Mary's College in Moraga, Calif., and began his career as a development intern at his alma mater, Sacramento State.

During Cunningham's tenure overseeing the Athletics Department at UCSB, the program experienced unprecedented success in competition, the classroom and in facilities development.

In that time, Gaucho student-athletes have had unparalleled academic success achieving a graduation rate of nearly 80-percent, in the most recent NCAA tracking period, the highest among Big West Conference schools.

In terms of competition during Cunningham's tenure, UCSB has won seven of the last eight Big West Conference Commissioner's Cups, representing the conference's all-sports champion.

"If I can have half of the career he's had in athletics, I will be a happy man," Massari said.

Massari graduated from Sacramento State with a bachelor's degree in history and worked on his master's in leadership from Duquesne University. At Sacramento State he was a four-year scholarship football player for the Hornets from 1987-91.

"Ever since I first recruited Mark to play for us at Sac St, I knew he was going to be a great teammate and addition to our program," said Oakland Raiders offensive coordinator Greg Knapp. "I remember mentioning to our head coach that his type of personality, loyalty and attitude was what was needed for us to continue our foundation. I enjoyed our four years together and the many years since. UCSB made a great hire."

The Napa, Calif. native, who will begin his new duties in late-September, and his wife Kimberly have a daughter Madeline (4), son Joey (2) and a yellow lab named Hobbs.

What others are saying about Mark Massari:

"I would like to congratulate the University of California Santa Barbara on making an excellent choice. Mark Massari has a vision and drive to be successful, and that enthusiasm is contagious among his staff. He was on the forefront of helping Oregon State develop a campus-wide strategic marketing plan that has helped brand the university nationally. UCSB has hired a person who I consider to be a part of the next group of young talented athletic directors and I have no doubt he will be successful in leading the Gauchos' program." - Ed Ray, Oregon State University President

"UCSB should be congratulated for hiring a very talented person in Mark Massari. He successfully managed a wide range of strategic and complex projects for us and I can say this without a doubt - he's been a major factor in our success at Oregon State. His ability to lead, and more importantly to produce, is an outstanding combination. He simply made us better. Our loss is truly UCSB's gain. We wish Mark, Kim, Joey and Maddy and the Gauchos the best." - Bob De Carolis, Director of Athletics, Oregon State University

"Ever since I first recruited Mark to play for us at Sac St, I knew he was going to be a great teammate and addition to our program. I remember mentioning to our head coach that his type of personality, loyalty and attitude was what was needed for us to continue our foundation. I enjoyed our four years together and the many years since. UCSB made a great hire." - Greg Knapp, Offensive Coordinator, Oakland Raiders

"Mark is a remarkably talented person. He has that wonderful combination of work ethic, passion and a servant's heart. Mark is a values-driven person who will put the university and the student's wellbeing first - always. I'm proud he as been a colleague but more importantly my friend the past 15 years. UCSB made a brilliant choice." - Tom Bowen, Director of Athletics, San Jose State University

"I commend UCSB on the hiring one of the brightest up and coming athletic administrators today. He's part of a wave of young, extremely talented athletic directors elevating to the top ranks in our profession through pure passion, strong core-values and talent. At the same time, I congratulate Mark for this outstanding opportunity at one of the nation's premier institutions." - Dutch Baughman, Executive Director, Division 1A Athletic Directors Association

"I had the privilege of working with Mark during our days at the Niners. I know his abilities as a professional and a person will benefit UCSB greatly. He was an outstanding teammate." - Mark Foxton, NBA, Former 49ers VP

"The Beaver family will miss an important member in Mark Massari. But when you work with talented people - administrators or coaches - you run the risk of them leaving to be the top person eventually. We knew it was just a matter of time with Mark. He was an incredibly smart and creative thinker who happens to also be an incredibly hard worker. Dee and I wish Mark, Kim, Maddy and little Joey the very best." - Mike Riley, Head Football Coach, Oregon State University

"My alma mater, UCSB, is in extremely good hands. Mark and I worked together in the Pac-10. He has a strong sense for serving the best interests of the university. They made a great choice." - Chris Del Conte, Director of Athletics, Rice University

"Mark Massari is an excellent hire for UC Santa Barbara. I had the pleasure of working with Mark during our days with the Hurricanes and was always impressed with the passion, creativity and commitment he exhibited in everything he did. I am confident that the UC Santa Barbara athletic department will experience tremendous growth and success under Mark's leadership." - Blake James, Director of Athletics, University of Maine

"Mark Massari has been a tremendous asset to Oregon State. He has vision. He gets it. As a coach that's all you could want in an athletic director. UC Santa Barbara just got better." - Pat Casey, Head Baseball Coach, Two-time National Champions, Oregon State University

"Mark has worked very hard over the past 15 years to prepare himself for this opportunity. He has a tremendous work ethic, marketing mind and a great sense of humor. His ability to create relationships and knowledge of intercollegiate athletics will allow him to build on the great traditions of UC-Santa Barbara. Great hire." - Patrick Nero, Commissioner, America East Conference

"This is exciting news! Mark Massari is one of the bright young minds in our industry. He brings a wealth of knowledge from his stops at the University of Miami, San Francisco 49ers network and Oregon State - where we worked together. Having roots in the Santa Barbara community (my wife Moira is a native and father in law and mother in law still live in Santa Barbara), Mark will do a fantastic job at UCSB while following in the footsteps of Coach Cunningham. I wish Mark and his family all the best." - Kevin Anderson, Director of Athletics, United States Military Academy at West Point