[Vision2020] UI AD Transition

[thansen@moscow.com]

And yet another media quote concerning the realease of UI AD Mike Bohn to SDSU.

We will miss you Mike Bohn.

Tom Hansen
UI '96

Forwarded Message:
> To: vandal@uidaho.edu
> From: Phil Corless <phil@pkmeco.com>
> Subject: [Vandal]Transition
> Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2003 10:08:02 -0600
> -----
> Vandals brace for transition
> by Doug Bauer, Lewiston Tribune
> 
> As news of Mike Bohn's departure continued to sink in
> throughout the University of Idaho athletic department,
> the search for his replacement got off to an official
> start Wednesday.
> 
> Bohn, who had served as Idaho's athletic director since
> 1998, was hired away by Mountain West Conference-affiliate
> San Diego State on Monday.
> 
> He leaves behind a much better program than the one he
> inherited, according to several members of the Idaho
> athletic department.
> 
> "His mark... is going to be all the external stuff he's
> done, as well as the relationships he's built across
> campus," said Idaho associate athletic director Matt
> Kleffner. "He's grown our budget from somewhere around
> $4.8 million to $8.5 million in the five years he's
> been here."
> 
> Dee Menzies, Idaho's senior women's administrator, is
> sad to see Bohn go.
> 
> "I think we're all a little shell-shocked, but we're not
> surprised," Menzies said. "We knew he was a shining star
> and that he would move on and move up."
> 
> Idaho interim president Gary Michael could not be reached
> for comment. He was scheduled to meet with Kleffner,
> Menzies and Kibbie Dome manager Tom McGann on Wednesday
> night to discuss their options.
> 
> It remains unclear whether Michael will assume interim AD
> responsibilities himself, if he'll hand the title to someone
> else within the athletic department or if Idaho will wait
> until hiring a new president before making a decision on
> its athletic director. That could move the timetable for
> making a hire into next year.
> 
> Kleffner has been mentioned as a possibility, although he
> has declined to comment on the position. Another potential
> interim candidate is former UI athletic director Bill
> Belknap, who is retired and resides in Moscow.
> 
> Names that have surfaced for the job on a permanent basis
> include: former Vandal football player Lance West, who
> served as athletic director at Marshall before becoming
> the school's vice president for alumni development;
> ex-Idaho AD Gary Hunter, who is now the commissioner of
> the Continental Basketball Association; Weber State AD
> John Johnson; and former UI assistant athletic directors
> Tom Berman and Mike Marlow.
> 
> Recently named Idaho State athletic director Jim Senter,
> another former Idaho assistant AD, could be considered as
> well, although he's unlikely to leave ISU just a few months
> after being named to his post. Utah State AD Rance Pugmire,
> who once served as Idaho's sports information director,
> is another longshot. Like Senter, Pugmire has indicated
> that he's happy with his current position.
> 
> It's important to note that the aforementioned candidates,
> and any others who have been named in published reports,
> are speculatory at this point.
> 
> Bohn is scheduled to take over at SDSU on Oct. 17. And
> while he may be gone, his accomplishments at Idaho will
> live on.
> 
> "Whenever anyone leaves there's always a little bit of a
> vacuum," said Vandal women's basketball coach Mike Divilbiss,
> who came to Idaho in 2001 after a distinguished tenure at
> Lewis-Clark State College.
> 
> "And you always lose a piece of yourself, because those
> people invest and they give and a piece of them always
> stays there," Divilbiss added. "I hope a piece of me is
> always in (LCSC's) Warrior Gym, and I'm sure Mike hopes
> a piece of him is always left here too."
> 
> Idaho football coach Tom Cable said he was happy for Bohn.
> 
> "That's what Mike wants, and that's what he wants for...
> his family," Cable said. "He did some good things while
> he was here at Idaho in terms of conference affiliation,
> Division I-A status and things like that, trying to build.
> 
> "I think he's put the ball in motion, and I know this is
> what he wanted and he's wanted to do it for some time.
> The right opportunity came and he was able to get it, so
> I wish him well."
> 
> Menzies has known Bohn for 20 years. She said they first
> met when he was working for the Air Force Academy and she
> was with the Western Athletic Conference.
> 
> "He was the public address announcer at the Air Force
> Academy, if you can imagine that. He didn't hardly need
> a microphone," she said, alluding to Bohn's booming voice
> and gregarious personality.
> 
> "The fact that he's actually gone and we're trying to keep
> things moving in that direction is the tough part, because
> we're pretty short-staffed right now," Menzies added. "But
> leadership comes from adversity and that's when you have
> to be a leader -- when times get tough."
> 
> Like Menzies, Kleffner will miss Bohn's enthusiasm.
> 
> "I've learned a lot from him," Kleffner said. "It's been
> a real good ride these last five years.
> 
> "But he left the department in good shape. We're continuing
> to operate and we're actually a pretty smooth-running
> operation."
> 
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