New managers for athletics department

By D. Lyn Hunter, Public Affairs

22 August 2001 | Athletic Director Steve Gladstone announced the hiring of a new management team at a Haas Pavilion press conference Aug. 17.

The four executive associate athletic directors are Mark Stephens, Daniel Coonan, Bob Rose and Teresa Kuehn.

“I’m very pleased and excited by the appointment of this team,” said Gladstone. “This will help transform our department.”

Stephens, a former Bears football captain, will oversee operations and serve as chief of staff. He will manage all business operations and oversee recreational sports, community programs, compliance, human resources and sports medicine.

“It’s great to be back,” said Stephens of his alma mater. “Cal athletics was a big part of my life and I’m excited by the chance to help move it forward.”

Coonan will be in charge of revenue sports, including football, men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball. A former assistant athletic director at Cal, he spent the last several years working for the Pac-10.

“There are more things we can do to get people into the stadium and increase revenue,” Coonan said of his new duties. “Transportation and parking are a couple of obstacles, but winning [games] would definitely help.”

Olympic and women’s sports will fall under Kuehn’s purview. As head of communications, Bob Rose will oversee all public relations and media-related issues, negotiate television and radio contracts, and serve as executive director of the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame.

“It will be tough to leave the Giants after nine years,” said Rose of his former employer. “But this is truly one of the great universities and I look forward to helping articulate that message across the country.”

“The mission of this administration is to create an environment that gives our student athletes the best possible chance to succeed on game day,” Gladstone said. “These appointments vitally support that primary function.”