By Sean O'Hara ('10)

The Class of 2000 will be coming back to Athens, Ohio to celebrate their ten-year reunion at the 2010 Symposium.  During their celebration, five of their class members have offered to share their knowledge and experience with current students and alumni on Saturday, May 1st at 9 a.m. in Walter Hall. We hope you will join us to hear this distinguished panel of speakers.

David Benne ('00)
Manager of Tournament Operations – Augusta National
David has reached the pinnacle of the golf industry as the Manager of Tournament Operations for Augusta National.  He was able to make this climb very quickly, and now runs one of PGA Tours four majors and arguably the most recognizable tournament in the world, the Masters.  David has always loved the beauty of a golf course and enjoys the opportunity to view it at its highest level everyday at Augusta National.

Prior to making his move to Augusta National, David was the Director of Tournament Operations at Pinehurst.  As the Director, he managed all aspects of the tournaments: budget, facility plans, hospitality, vendor agreements, and staffing to name a few.  Over his six years there, David was able to manage the U.S. Open Championship, U.S. Women’s Open Championship, and the U.S. Amateur Championship.

Other experiences in the golf industry include coordinating the U.S. Senior Open Championship and assisting in tournament management for the Middle Atlantic Section of the PGA of America.  David is originally from Springfield, Ohio and earned his undergraduate degree from Depauw University.   

Greg Hulen ('00)
Assistant Athletic Director of Development - University of Tennessee  
Greg currently serves as the Assistant Athletic Director for Development at the University of Tennessee, where he has been a member of the Tennessee staff since 2005.  In his role, Greg manages facility improvement projects, including the Pratt Pavilion basketball practice facility, which opened in early 2008.   

Prior to his time at the University of Tennessee, Greg served as the Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing and Corporate Relations at Bowling Green State University.  During his tenure, he set a new record for corporate partnership revenue generated for the athletics department and developed the community partners program to market season tickets to small businesses.   
Greg’s past experience in college athletics also includes positions within the athletic departments at Texas Tech University and Florida State University, as well as a position within the game management staff at the Rose Bowl. He holds an undergraduate degree in communications from Florida State University.

Josh Gold ('00)
Sports Communication Manager-Glacéau Vitaminwater, Fruitwater, & Smartwater
Josh currently holds a position as the Sports Communication Manager with Glacéau Vitaminwater, Fruitwater, & Smartwater. The Coca-Cola Company purchased Glacéau in June, 2007, and as a result Josh spends the majority of his time working with Powerade and its’ sports properties. In his capacity as sports communications manager, he helped raise the company’s public profile by leveraging sports assets (athletes like Adrian Peterson, David Wright, LaDanian Tomlinson and Dwight Howard).

Prior to his experiences with Glacéau and Coca-Cola, Josh completed internships with the San Diego Chargers PR department, the Nike Jordan brand, Prince Tennis, Easton Sports, ESPN, and Sony PlayStation.  Josh considers himself the Larry Brown of the sports PR world—a guy who would come in and take his team to new heights before wearing out his welcome (he refused to give playing time to account coordinators and complained that his teams were not playing “the right way”).

Josh credits the SAFM program for providing him with clear career direction.  He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Dean McKenzie ('00)
Director-World In Motion NZ Ltd
Dean returns to Ohio University with over 15 years experience in the Sports and Entertainment industry as part owner of World In Motion NZ Ltd. The agency is an athlete management, marketing and sports consultancy business with New Zealand offices in Auckland and Christchurch. As the South Island Director, Dean splits his time evenly between agency and consultancy based projects.

After graduating from Ohio University, Dean returned to New Zealand and spent two years in a senior management position with the New Zealand Racing Industry Board.  His major projects included the establishment of a nationwide radio network for horse racing, rolling out a nationwide newspaper initiative, and launching/trailing the broadcast of NZ horse racing into North America.

Prior to his current position, Dean was a Chief Executive at Jade Stadium. His time at Jade stadium (now AMI Stadium) was highlighted by hosting the first rugby test in 2005 between the All Blacks and the British and Irish Lions, and coordinating the initial integration of the stadium into a new corporate structure which included all of the cities major entertainment facilities being administered "under one roof."

Dean earned undergraduate degrees in economics and accounting from Otago University.

Terri M. Steeb ('00)
Director of Division II-NCAA
Terri has been with the NCAA National Office for almost ten years and currently serves as the Director of Division II, a position she has held since October 2004.  In her responsibilities, Terri works with various groups and committees within the Division II governance structure, specifically the Division II Presidents Council and Management Council.  She also manages the Division II budget; monitors Division I and III governance issues; and oversees the implementation of various Division II strategic initiatives, including the National Championships Festivals, branding and messaging strategies and the division’s strategic plan.

Prior to her current position, Terri worked with the NCAA Academic and Membership Affairs staff and served as an Associate Director and Division II Governance Liaison.  Her duties included working with the Division II Academic Requirements Committee, Division II Legislation Committee and the Division I Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet Subcommittee on Continuing Eligibility.

Terri received her undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she was a four-year varsity letter winner in volleyball.

Please be sure to register for the 2010 Symposium as soon as possible as this year’s event coincides with Mom’s Weekend at Ohio University and there will be limited lodging.  Click here or visit https://commerce.cashnet.com/ohiosaas to register.  If you have any questions, please contact the Center for Sports Administration at (740) 593-4666 or e-mail us at [email protected].