Comments from Slive Press Conf.
From the SEC Website
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MIKE SLIVE BIOGRAPHY
SEC Commissioner
From his early days as an athletic administrator to his current post as commissioner, Mike Slive has maintained an integral role in the ever-changing world of intercollegiate athletics. He was named the seventh commissioner of the Southeastern Conference on July 2, 2002.
"We're delighted to have Mike Slive join the Southeastern Conference and serve as its Commisioner," said Dr. John White, Chancellor of the University of Arkansas and President of the SEC. "Mike is familiar with the league and he has been active on NCAA committees. We think he will build on the successes that the SEC has enjoyed in the past. We're excited about what Mike will be able to do working with the presidents and chancellors, athletics directors and coaches of the SEC in the league's continuing efforts to be the premier athletic conference in the nation."
Prior to joining the SEC, Slive was the Commissioner of Conference USA. He was named the first-ever Commissioner of the newly-formed league on April 24, 1995. Under his direction, Conference USA has quickly emerged as one of the nation's top conferences.
Presently, Slive is the chair of the first NCAA Infractions Appeals Committe and the National Letter of Intent Appeals Committee. He is also chair of the Board of Directors of NCAA Football USA and is the President of the Collegiate Commissioners Association (CCA). Last month, he was named to the Executive Committee of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and also serves on the Board of Advisors of the Marquette Sports Law Institute.
Slive was also on the NCAA Management Council from 1997-2002, serving on the Membership Subcommittee and the Subcommittee to Review Automatic Qualification.
The 61-year old Slive has also served on the Board of Directors of the Sports Lawyers Association from 1997-2001 and was chair of the Division I-A Commissioners from 1999-2001. He also was a member of the NCAA Division I Working Group to Study Basketball Issues in 1998-99.
This summer, Slive was named by President Bush to the Commission of Athletic Opportunity, that will review the workings of Title IX. He is one of 15 panelists that consists of former and current athletes, athletic and academic administrators and college professors from around the nation.
Slive has an extensive administrative and legal background in intercollegiate athletics. He served as commissioner of the Great Midwest Conference since its formation in 1991, and played a pivotal role in the Great Midwest becoming one of the most successful and exciting conferences in the nation in the 1990's.
His previous athletic administrative experiences include: assistant director of athletics at Dartmouth College (1968-69), assistant Executive Director of the Pacific-10 Conference (1979-81), and Director of Athletics at Cornell University (1981-83), prior to developing his sports practice specializing in representing colleges and universities in athletic-related matters.
During his time as Commissioner of Conference USA, the league, enjoyed prominent national television exposure, NCAA automatic qualifications and major bowl tie-ins, including becoming a member of the Bowl Championship Series.
Slive's leadership has translated into valuable national television exposure for Conference USA with television partner ESPN Inc., as well as appearances on ABC and CBS. C-USA also developed a syndicated television network for women's and olympic sports.
The league's championship competition is enhanced by NCAA automatic bids in volleyball, men's and women's soccer, baseball, men's and women's tennis and men's and women's basketball. In football, along with being a member of the BCS, C-USA sends its regular season champion to the AXA Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tenn., and teams to the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala., the Houston (Texas) Bowl, the Hawaii Bowl in Honolulu and the New Orleans (La.) Bowl.
Slive's efforts have been instrumental in expanding the league's membership. East Carolina joined football competition in 1997, Army in 1998 and UAB in 1999, while South Florida will compete in football in 2003. ECU and TCU were recently added as members for all sports beginning in the last academic year.
Slive's guidance has also been beneficial for the league on a national level as one of three C-USA representatives on the NCAA Management Council.
A native of Utica, N.Y., Slive was senior partner and founder of the Mike Slive-Mike Glazier Sports Group. Prior to the formation of the Slive-Glazier Sports Group in 1990, Slive was a partner in the Chicago law firm of Coffield Ungaretti Harris & Slavin. He operated his own practice in Hanover, N.H., and served as judge of the Hanover District Court from 1972-77.
Slive graduated from Dartmouth College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1962. He earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia Law School in 1965 and an LLM from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1966. Slive and his wife, Elizabeth, are the parents of a daughter, Anna.
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COMMENTS FROM OTHERS ABOUT MIKE SLIVE
Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John Swofford
"Congratulations to the Southeastern Conference on an excellent hire. Mike is a proven entity and very highly respected in the world of college athletics. His integrity and capabilities will serve him and the SEC well. I look forward to continuing to work with him in his new role."
University of Florida Director of Athletics Jeremy Foley
"I think it is an outstanding choice. I've known Mike for 15 years and he has tremendous leadership skills. He is a consensus builder and I think he is very capable of keeping this conference among the nation's elite."
University of Arkansas Chancellor and SEC President Dr. John A. White
"We're delighted to have Mike Slive join the Southeastern Conference and serve as its Commisioner. Mike is familiar with the league and he has been active on NCAA committees. We think he will build on the successes that the SEC has enjoyed in the past. We're excited about what Mike will be able to do working with the presidents and chancellors, athletics directors and coaches of the SEC in the league's continuing efforts to be the premier athletic conference in the nation."
University of Louisville Director of Athletics Tom Jurich
"The SEC's lucky to get him, he's a great leader. He can help them (SEC) through tumultuous times. He's got the background for it. We're going to miss him. He did a phenomenal job leading us (C-USA) from infancy to where it is now. This conference was a diverse package, and he's done a great job of bringing everyone together."
East Carolina University Director of Athletics Mike Hamrick
"The SEC is a great conference, and Roy Kramer has been a great commissioner. But I'm telling you, they won't miss a beat with Mike Slive. No matter what the situation, Mike will always have a plan, and he will always be several steps ahead of everybody else in the room."
Frank Broyles - Athletic Director University of Arkansas
"Everyone is excited with the appointment of Mike Slive as the next commissioner of the Southeastern Conference. He has been at various levels in college athletics and he brings a great reputation to the conference. I'm confident that he will provide outstanding leadership as the conference continues to serve at the forefront of collegiate athletics."
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Quotes from Commissioner Mike Slive press conference:
"I've had the opportunity of working with Commissioner Kramer over the last seven years and have come to know first hand his dedication to the Southeastern Conference, intercollegiate athletics and college football. His significant contribution has been well chronicled by folks in the media, colleagues and friends, and deservedly so. My wife Liz and I thank Roy and Sara Jo for their warm friendship over the years. We wish them health, happiness and peace in the years ahead."
"When I was first approached by the SEC, I was intrigued. I was happy at Conference USA and not looking to change. As its first and only Commissioner, I worked with some wonderful and dedicated people and I want to take this opportunity to thank them for seven of the most satisfying years up to this time."
"From my vantage point in Conference USA, I had a clear view of the importance and the impact the Southeastern Conference has, not only in the southeast, but throughout the United States. For us to be a part of the SEC tradition and have an opportunity to contribute to this great league was just irresistible."
"I am keenly aware that to be the Commissioner of the SEC is both a privilege and a challenge. It's a privilege because the SEC is the premier conference in the country. With outstanding academic institutions, unsurpassed winning athletic traditions and a broad array of sports. Loyal, dedicated and passionate fans which may be its real deep strength, outstanding athletic directors and coaches, and of course national championship caliber student-athletes, both men and women."
"At the same time there are many, many challenges, not only for the SEC, but for all of us in intercollegiate athletics. For us here, the challenge of maintaining our preeminent competitive and financial position consistent with the educational missions of our member institutions, and the mission of the Conference. The challenge of insuring our academic success of our student-athletes leading to graduation as they enjoy athletic competition at the national championship level. The challenge of fulfilling our responsibilities to ensure gender and ethnic diversity in a way that is fair and equitable to all. To the extent that we, like other conferences, have allegations and violations of NCAA rules, the challenge is to put them behind us and to avoid similar problems in the future. What is clear to me is the Southeastern Conference commitment at all levels to meet these challenges and to remain this country's pre-eminent conference."
