Inside Iowa State

September 23, 2005

Pollard named Iowa State athletics director

by John McCarroll

Jamie Pollard, deputy athletic director at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, was named ISU athletics director on Sept. 19. His begins in the post on Oct. 1.

President Gregory Geoffroy welcomes Jamie Pollard (left) during a press conference Sept. 19 to announce Pollard's appointment as Iowa State's new athletic director. Photo by Bob Elbert.

"Jamie Pollard has done an outstanding job at Wisconsin, and he is widely recognized for his management achievements and his creativity. We are extremely pleased that he has chosen to become a Cyclone and lead our athletics program," said President Gregory Geoffroy in making the announcement.

Pollard, 40, joined the athletic department at Wisconsin in May 1998 and has been deputy athletic director since 2003. In that role, he has been the No. 2 athletics administrator, responsible for overall administration of the university's $72 million athletic department, which includes 23 sports.

Prior to being named deputy director, Pollard served as the athletic department's chief financial officer and senior associate athletic director. Since the 2001-02 academic year, he has served as sports administrator for the men's and women's basketball programs.

Under his leadership, the operating reserve for the athletic department increased to $15 million, the university completed a $110 million renovation of the football stadium, football and basketball games sold out and records were set for donations to the athletic department and the number of athletic donors.

"I am honored to have been chosen as the next director of athletics at Iowa State University," Pollard said. "Iowa State's athletic program has a rich tradition, a solid foundation and tremendous potential for growth and even greater success.

"I have a sincere appreciation for how challenging it will be to be an athletic director. The job is just too demanding to just want to be an athletic director. I wanted to be an athletic director where I knew it was the right place at the right time," he said.

In 2003, Pollard received Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal's "Top Forty Under 40" Award, which goes to the most influential and creative individuals in athletics under the age of 40. He was the first intercollegiate sports administrator honored by the magazine. In 2002, he was chosen as Business Manager of the Year by the Collegiate Athletic Business Managers Association.

Before joining the athletic department at Wisconsin, Pollard served as associate athletic director for internal operations at St. Louis University (1989-94) and associate athletic director for administration at the University of Maryland, College Park (1994-98).

Pollard received a B.S. degree in business administration in 1987 from the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh. That same year, he was the NCAA Division III national champion in the 5,000-meter run. Twice, he was named Division III All-American.

Geoffroy said Pollard will receive a five-year contract, which provides an initial base salary of $275,000, plus annual incentives up to $75,000 for achieving athletic and academic performance goals. If he remains athletics director for five years, he will receive an additional $50,000 per year in deferred compensation. The ISU athletics director reports to Geoffroy.

Pollard and his wife, Ellen, have four children: Thomas, Annie, Maggie and James.

Pollard succeeds Bruce Van De Velde, who announced his resignation Aug. 8.

"I have a sincere appreciation for how challenging it will be to be an athletic director. The job is just too demanding to just want to be an athletic director. I wanted to be an athletic director where I knew it was the right place at the right time."

Jamie Pollard