Colorado University Athletics
CU's George Replaces Notre Dame's Swarbrick As Chair Of LEAD1
July 20, 2017 | General, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Colorado Athletic Director Rick George has been named the new chairman of the LEAD1 Association, a group that represents athletic directors, programs and student-athletes of all 129 member schools of the Football Bowl Subdivision.
George is head of a new LEAD1 leadership team that was announced at the association's just-completed institute, held in Boulder on the CU campus. He replaces Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick as the chair.
Other new officers include Clemson A.D. Dan Radakovich (first vice chair) and Texas A&M A.D. Scott Woodward (second vice chair).
"It's an honor to have the group want me to serve in that role," George said. "It's nice when you have the respect and confidence of your peers."
LEAD1 studies issues that affect all of college sports, but focuses particularly on those that have an effect on FBS schools. That includes everything from NCAA rules and how they are enacted and implemented to fiscal sustainability, an issue core to not only each member school, but college athletics as a whole.
The group also helps provide important data and information to its member schools, ranging from such topics as salary surveys to seminars on charter flights for teams; and is an active advocate for the future of college athletics. Earlier this year, LEAD1 and the NCAA agreed to conduct a joint study of university and college insurance practices and how they affect and support student-athletes.
"I could not be more pleased with the new trustees and officers," said Tom McMilllen, President and CEO of LEAD1. "LEAD1 Association is fortunate to have such extraordinary leadership in its member ranks."
George, who is just completing his fourth year as Colorado's A.D., has become a nationally recognized leader on Division I athletics and student-athlete concerns. He also serves on the Division I Council of the NCAA, and is part of the NCAA's D1 Council Transfer Working Group.
LEAD1 also elected a new Board of Trustees. Jennifer Cohen, from the University of Washington, will represent the Women's Basketball Committee and the PAC 12 while Kent State's Joel Neilsen will represent the Mid-American Conference. Stanford University's Bernard Muir will represent the Men's Basketball Committee.
The Board of Trustees of LEAD1 Association for 2017-2018 now consists of:
1. Chair Rick George, University of Colorado
2. 1st Vice Chair/Finance Chair Dan Radakovich, Clemson University
3. 2nd Vice Chair/Governing Nominating Committee Scott Woodward, Texas A&M University
4. American Athletic Conference Tom Bowen, University of Memphis
5. Atlantic Coast Conference Stan Wilcox, Florida State University
6. Big 10 Jim Phillips, Communications Committee Chair, Northwestern University
7. Big 12 Chris Plonsky, University of Texas
8. Big 12 Kirby Hocutt, Texas Tech University
9. Conference USA Chris Massaro Middle Tennessee
10. Mid-American Conference Joel Nielsen, Kent State University
11. Mountain West Conference Doug Knuth, University of Nevada
12. NACDA Bubba Cunningham, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
13. NACDA Bob Vecchione, Ex- officio
14. NCAA Oliver Luck, NCAA8
15. Pacific-12 Conference/Women's Basketball Committee Jennifer Cohen, University of Washington
16. Sun Belt Conference Mario Moccia, New Mexico State University
17. Men's Basketball Committee Bernard Muir, Stanford University
18. Past Chair Jack Swarbrick, University of Notre Dame
19. LEAD1 Tom McMillen, Ex-officio
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
