Finalists for athletic director announced

After more than 12-and-a-half months, Portland State has moved a step closer to finding a permanent replacement for the athletic director position, announcing the four finalists Wednesday.

Finalists include Torre Chisholm, associate athletic director for development and marketing at UC Irvine; Pete Isakson, associate director of athletics for external operations at Washington State; Bruce Parker, director of athletics at Carroll College; and Chris May, associate athletic director for external affairs at Colorado.

All the finalists were selected by the Portland State director of athletics search committee.

“I think we have a very diverse pool of candidates,” said Molly Moore, assistant athletics director for internal affairs and member of the search committee. “We are obviously excited to meet them. We have talked to all of them on the phone, and we are excited to meet them in person and see how they interact with staff.”

Throughout a gradual process to select the next athletic director at Portland State, it has appeared search committee members are looking for candidates that possess particular attributes and characteristics.

“We have definitely structured the position description to focus on the external world. This means being able to fund-raise through corporate or development dollars, and being able to go out and solidify new money for the university so we can help our budget,” said Moore.

Awaiting each candidate is an individual, two-day visit to the South Park Blocks to peruse campus and meet with the search committee. The committee includes university President Dan Bernstine, university officials and various athletic department staff and coaches. Visits begin with Chisholm on Feb. 28, followed by Isakson, Parker and May with the last meeting concluding on March 16.

“On the visits they will meet with the president first and foremost, then with a variety of people around campus, the Intercollegiate Athletic Board, some of our staff in the athletic department, coaches and some of our student athletes, and the search committee obviously. So there are two days packed full of meetings. They will also tour campus and look at our facilities.”

Teri Mariani, who has been affiliated with Portland State for 34 years, has held the athletic director position on an interim basis. The former Viking student, athlete, softball coach and administrator has done her best to keep the Viking ship afloat since former Athletic Director Tom Burman accepted a vice president position at his alma mater the University of Wyoming last January.

The search for Burman’s replacement has been a lengthy, thorough process, as Portland State has appeared unhurried to fill the position.

To provide some perspective, long-time University of Oregon Athletic Director Bill Moos officially announced his resignation in late November. Prominent booster and Oregon alumnus Pat Kilkenny has already been ushered in as the new athletic director, announced as Moos’ successor on Wednesday. The Ducks only needed 81 days to find the replacement, which is incredibly short compared to the 380 days that have elapsed since Burman left PSU and the four finalists were named.

“The search committee wasn’t assembled until this fall, so we haven’t been searching for a replacement the entire time [since Burman resigned],” said Portland State President Daniel Bernstine. “I just felt like it was an opportunity for one of our senior members in athletics, Teri, to step in and provide some stability while we continue to search.”

Despite the prolonged wait, the decision regarding the athletic director position is imminent, and while it isn’t definite, it will most likely be finalized in upcoming weeks.