July 25, 2011
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IOWA CITY, Iowa – Long-time University of Iowa athletics administrator Steve Roe has been promoted to director of athletic communications, the UI Athletics Department announced today.
Roe, who has been a member of the UI Athletics Department staff for 21 years – – the last 14 as the UI’s associate sports information director – – replaces Phil Haddy, who is entering the second year of a two-year phased retirement program. Haddy will officially retire in June, 2012, after more than 40 years of service to the university and the UI Athletics Department.
Roe is a graduate of Buena Vista University (mass communications). He earned a master’s degree from Louisiana-Monroe (speech) and has worked in media relations for 34 years. His resume includes 20-plus years as a member of the staff at the UI and three years as director of sports information at Drake University. He served as a graduate assistant at Louisiana-Monroe for two years and was the director of sports information at Northwestern State University of Louisiana for five years.
Roe is just the fourth director of the UI’s athletic communications department, following Haddy (1993-2011), George Wine (1968-93) and Eric Wilson (1924-68).
In addition to his duties with the Hawkeyes, Roe has worked a variety of NCAA and Big Ten Conference championships in addition to volunteering at PGA Tour events. He also authored the book, “Hawkeyes For Life,” which was published in 2007.
Roe will collaborate with Darren Miller, the director of new media for the UI Athletics Department, in overseeing the work of full-time, intern and student staff responsible for planning and executing the department’s communications strategy, a task that has grown substantially beyond those routinely associated with media relations with the introduction and expansion of the world wide web, and new and social media tools like Facebook and Twitter.
“These are exciting times for talented communication professionals like Steve. He has tremendous experience and expertise in the nuts and bolts of traditional media relations, and has demonstrated a commitment to understanding and appreciating how today’s technology allows us to proactively communicate directly with the wide variety of friends of the UI and fans of the Hawkeyes,” said Gary Barta, the UI’s director of athletics.
As the director of the athletic communications division, Roe will work with the directors of the other divisions within the external relations unit of the UI Athletics Department to shape the department’s strategic communication strategy. The external relations unit includes the divisions of athletic communications, new and social media, graphic arts, marketing, group sales, and hawkVision.
Members of the staff also work directly with Hawkeye Sports Properties, the multi-media partner of the UI Athletics Department, and the Big Ten Network.