Bill Byrne

Infobox Person


image_size = 150px
name = Bill Byrne
caption =
birth_date =
birth_place = Boston, Massachusetts
death_date =
death_place =
education = BA, Idaho State, 1967
MBA, Idaho State, 1971
occupation = Athletic Director
spouse = Dr. Marilyn Byrne
parents =
children = 2 sons

C. William "Bill" Byrne, II is the current athletic director of Texas A&M University, a position he has held since January 2003.

Early life

Byrne grew up in Idaho. He attended Idaho State University, where he served as student body president and received a bachelor's degree in business in 1967. He went on to receive his MBA in 1971. From 1971–76, he served as the director of alumni relations at Idaho State. He then moved to the University of New Mexico, where he would serve as the executive director of the New Mexico Lobo Club, the division within the athletic department responsible for raising athletic scholarships, from 1976–79. From 1980–82, he was the assistant athletic director at San Diego State University.

Athletic director career

Byrne started his head athletic directing career in 1984 at the University of Oregon. At Oregon, he led a $19 million fundraiser that helped to build new buildings for the football team and athletic offices. For his role in the fundraiser, he was named National Fundraiser of the Year by the National Athletic Fundraisers Association in 1985. He served as the athletic director at Nebraska for 11 years from 1992-2003. His teams won 8 national championships and 82 Big Eight and Big 12 Conference championships. His athletic program compiled seven straight top 25 finishes in the standings of the NACDA Director's Cup. He resigned from Nebraska on December 2, 2002 to take over as athletic director at Texas A&M. [cite news|url=http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2007/10/16/huskerextra/football/doc471422ae9552d347892579.txt|title=Pederson's discordant reign ends in 'long day'] Byrnes son is Gregory Byrne the current athletics director at Mississippi State University.

Honors

*2007 Carl Maddox Sports Management Award
*2005 Professional Achievement Award presented by the Idaho State University Alumni Association
*2002 John L. Toner Award winner
*1999 Central Region National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Director of the Year
*1991-92 President of NACDA
*1985 National Athletic Fundraisers Association Fundraiser of the Year.

References

* [http://www.isu.edu/alumni/professional/ByrneBill.shtml Idaho State Award]

External links

* [http://www.aggieathletics.com/index2.php?&CAT=GEN&pageID=1569 Bill Byrne biography]