Holy Cross Retains Firm to Lead Search for New Athletic Director

The College of the Holy Cross has retained DHR International to lead the search for its new athletic director.

Richard M. Regan Jr. ’76, who has directed Holy Cross Athletics since 1998, announced in July that he will step down from his post.  At the request of Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., President of the College, Regan is staying on in his position as director during this interim period.

Glenn Sugiyama, DHR executive vice president and global leader of the firm’s Sports Practice, along with Pat Richter, executive vice president at DHR, will work with Fr. Boroughs, Frank Vellaccio, Senior Vice President, and an internal college search committee, to coordinate the process and identify candidates for the position.

Fr. Boroughs said: “In seeking the College’s next Athletic Director, it is essential that we find someone who has excellent intercollegiate management experience and an appreciation for the excellence of our academic program. The ideal candidate will be someone who embraces the ideals of a Jesuit liberal arts college, including our commitment to diversity, and works effectively with the rest of the college community.”

“We are committed to finding the strongest candidates and have therefore partnered with a firm that ensures we will meet this objective,” added Vellaccio.  “We are looking to find someone who will take our athletic program to the next level.  He or she must be someone who understands the complexities of Title IX, our admissions and financial aid policies and objectives, our strong commitment to academics and be a strong fundraiser.  We look forward to working with Glenn and Pat over the coming months.”

Vellaccio said the search will begin immediately with the intention of presenting candidates during the fall semester.

“I am so pleased that Holy Cross and Fr. Boroughs selected DHR International for this most important assignment,” said Glenn Sugiyama. “I admire the history, tradition, and mission of Holy Cross, and look forward to working with the Holy Cross team in identifying the best candidates.”

In addition to leading the firm’s Sports Practice, Sugiyama is also a member of DHR’s Consumer, Media & Entertainment, and Diversity practices and is a former Division I college basketball coach. In addition to holding several president and senior-level executive positions at various companies, Sugiyama became on the of the youngest directors of a major U.S. pro sports team when he was named to the Board of Directors of the former world champion Chicago Bulls.  He graduated from Michigan State University and was a member of the advisory board of the University of Illinois School of Business.

Pat Richter is a member of DHR’s Sports and Education practices. He is the former athletic director of the University of Wisconsin and oversaw one of the biggest turn-arounds of an athletic department, taking a $2.1 million deficit and turning it into an operating reserve of more than $6 million. He also oversaw the construction of numerous first-class athletic facilities while the Badgers won three national championships and 51 Big Ten team titles. Richter is a former executive with Oscar Meyer Foods Corporation and practicing attorney. A former Wisconsin student athlete, Richter was inducted into the National Football Foundation College Hall of Fame and was a first-round draft pick for the Washington Redskins.

All interested candidates should review the job description and all qualified candidates should contact Glenn Sugiyama at DHR via lead recruiter Amy Galbraith at 713-626-9494 or agalbraith@dhrinternational.com