Monday, April 30, 2001
Delivering the goods
A beneficial fit
Public officials, representatives from Bosnia learn about grassroots advocacy
Kudos
Board of regents approve 14 new faculty hires
Little succeeds Tripp as director of financial aid
Movers and shakers

Campus Closeup
LEWIS GAINEY
Assistant Athletic Director
for Event Management
Athletic Department

YEARS IN CURRENT POSITION: 12.

JOB DESCRIPTION: “I manage and oversee all the athletic events on campus. I also oversee the Coliseum operations.”

A TYPICAL DAY: “Planning and setting up for our events on campus. I have to contact everyone who works at the event and make sure that the coaches’ requests are taken care of.”

THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF MY JOB: “Making sure that all the details are taken care of. We have to make sure we have people to operate scoreboards, operate clocks, etc. We have to have electricians and plumbers and security. The facilities have to be game-ready. The biggest challenge is making sure all this comes together so that the event is successful.”

THE MOST REWARDING PART OF MY JOB: “To see an event run smoothly. To see the event come off without any problems and hopefully the fans had a pleasant experience at the event.”

OTHER UGA EXPERIENCE: “I came to the university as a freshman in 1961 and ran track on a scholarship.
“When I finished school in 1965, I had the opportunity to come back as a graduate assistant in the College of Education’s department of health and physical education. After two years as a graduate assistant, I was hired by that department in the fall of 1967 to teach. I also volunteered my time as assistant track coach.
“In 1976 I was named head track- and-field coach--a position I held for 14 years. In the summer of 1989, I moved into administration in event management.”

IF I WAS NOT DOING THIS JOB, I WOULD MOST LIKE TO: “I like outdoor activities--farming or landscape design maybe.”

OFF-THE-JOB INTERESTS: “Fishing, playing golf, working in my yard.”

MY FAVORITE KIND OF MUSIC: “Country.”

THE PEOPLE I ADMIRE MOST: “My dad is one. He instilled in me the philosophy that you’ve got to put in the hours it takes to complete a task or be successful regardless of what you do. The hours I spent doing something didn’t matter as long as it got done correctly.
“Another person is Coach Spec Towns, who was my head coach here and who I worked for as an assistant coach. I assumed his position as head track coach when he retired.
“A third person would be Coach Joel Eaves, who was the athletic director here who hired me as head track coach.
“Another person I admire is Coach Dooley. He has been a great administrator to work for. He lets you do your job. He will give you advice and direction. It’s been a great situation to work in.”

THE ISSUE THAT CONCERNS ME MOST ABOUT TODAY’S WORLD: “People’s respect for authority.
“I was brought up to respect your elders and people in positions of authority. You just had respect for others. I see in athletic events now that people have no respect for people around them, and I see that trend going in the wrong direction.”

-- Jocelyn Newman
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