University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Ross Bjork Joins UCLA Staff from Miami
August 10, 2005 | Bruin Athletics
Aug. 10, 2005
Ross Bjork, who has spent the last two years as an executive staff member of the athletic administration at the University of Miami (FL), has been hired as Sr. Associate Athletic Director, External Relations at UCLA, Bruin Athletic Director Dan Guerrero announced today.
Guerrero also announced that Petrina Long, Associate Athletic Director/Senior Women's Administrator, and Ken Weiner, Associate Athletic Director, Operations, have been promoted to Senior Associate Athletic Directors. In addition, Ken McGuire has been promoted to Associate Athletic Director, Development.
Bjork, 32, will oversee all of UCLA's athletic fundraising activities, including the Annual Fund, which includes the various support groups, the Endowment Fund and raising funds for facility enhancements.
"Ross is one of the brightest stars in this area of athletic administration and we feel he is the perfect fit for our situation," said Guerrero. "We are ready to take the next step in the area of fund raising and donor networking. Ross has demonstrated great success in his ability to increase both annual giving and donations for facilities throughout his career."
"I am truly excited about joining one of the most successful athletic programs in the nation and working for an Athletic Director as well respected as Dan Guerrero," said Bjork. "I am looking forward to meeting as many of our constituents who support the athletic department and the university as quickly as possible.
"UCLA has enjoyed great success in the athletic arena. Our goal is to capitalize on that success to maximize our efforts in the area of external resource development."
In addition to heading UCLA's fundraising efforts, Bjork will also oversee the areas of marketing and act as the department's liaison with the general manager of Bruins Sports Properties and ISP Sports, UCLA's new national corporate partner.
In 2007, he will serve as president of the National Association of Athletic Development Directors.
Bjork joined the Miami staff in August of 2003. During the last two years, his responsibilities have included overseeing and directing all aspects of each external department, including fund raising, marketing, promotions, corporate sales, merchandising, ticket sales, official web site and external contracts. Since his arrival, total athletic gifts have increased annually from $8.7 million to $9.7 million while annual giving has increased from $4.2 million to $5.2 million. It that same span, Miami's capital campaign for athletics increased from $32 million to $48 million.
The day-to-day athletic department liaison to University President Donna Shalala, Bjork also directed the search process for a new men's basketball coach in 2004 and re-negotiated multi-year contracts with Nike and Gatorade which resulted in substantial rights fee increases for Miami. He also negotiated and provided daily management for Miami's $13 million multi-media rights agreement with ISP Sports, which is also UCLA's new corporate partner.
Prior to his tenure at Miami, Bjork spent 6 ½ years as a member of the athletic development staff at the University of Missouri. He oversaw all aspects of Missouri's athletic development office, including the Tiger Scholarship Fund, special events, premium parking and seating for football and basketball, and the Champions for Life Capital Campaign.
Upon his arrival at Mizzou, annual donations to the TSF escalated from $1.6 million in 1996 to $5.8 million in 2003, while TSF membership increased from 2,400 to 4,800 annual members. Total giving also increased from $2.1 million in 1996 to $14.6 million in 2003. Bjork also handled administrative tasks during his time at Mizzou and directed the sales campaign of the private football suites project in 2000 and also implemented the new priority seating program for Missouri basketball. He also oversaw the generation of $102 million for the Champions for Life Capital Campaign that further enhanced Mizzou's endowment program and upgraded the Sports Park. Upon his departure, over $87.5 million had been secured.
Bjork arrived at Mizzou in April 1997 and served as an athletic development officer until 1999. He became the Director of the Tiger Scholarship Fund in 1999, before being named Assistant Athletic Director for Development in May 2001. He was a member of the department's senior management team.
Prior to joining the Missouri athletic staff, Bjork served as an assistant coordinator for the Hilltopper Athletic Foundation at Western Kentucky University and served as a graduate assistant at Western Illinois University in the Department of Campus Recreation. In the summer of 1995, he served as an intern for the University of Tulsa marketing department and was a front office intern for the Albuquerque Dukes baseball club in the summer of 1994. During his undergraduate tenure he volunteered for the Emporia State University athletic department.
A native of Dodge City, KS, Bjork received his bachelor's degree in recreation administration from Emporia State University in 1995. He was a two-year starter at fullback and received honorable mention all-MIAA honors as a senior. He earned a master's degree in athletic administration from Western Illinois in December 1996. His wife Sonya works as an Associate Director in the University of Miami's Alumni Association.
