UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA ATHLETIC DIRECTOR (Odds)

Dick Baddour, a 1966 graduate of The University of North Carolina, was named Director of Athletics on June 25, 1997. In his five years as director, the Tar Heels have undergone a number of changes, yet remain one of the premier athletic programs in theAtlantic Coast Conference and across the nation. Baddour combines an easy-going, friendly and visionary style of management with a love and passion for the University he has served for more than 35 years.

Baddour sets a high standard of integrity for the program he leads. High graduation rates, NCAAcompliance, sound fiscal management, competitive success and national respect are cornerstones of his blueprint for the department's mission to the University.

In 2001, he received a Distinguished Service Medal from the UNC General Alumni Association. The awards program noted: "If this sounds like a full plate, remember that he gave the National Guard 31 years, and retired a colonel. He cochaired the bond drive to build the Chapel Hill Public Library. He was vice president of the Parks and Recreation Commission; chair of the Orange County HeartAssociation; Cub Scout master and Little League coach. Dick was volunteer of the year in the public school system in 1996, and successfully managed a Chapel Hill mayoral campaign. He is a model of town and gown."

Baddour, along with Dean Smith, stole Roy Williams away from KU.

The Goldsboro, N.C., native heads a program that with 28 varsity sports is the largest in the ACC. Carolina won seven ACC championships last year, equalling the top figure in the league for the 15th consecutive year, and the Tar Heels finished fourth in the Sears Cup standings that measure a school's overall NCAA postseason success. A total of 20 sports competed in postseasonplay. The men's soccer team won the national championship, women's soccer was the national runnerup, women's lacrosse advanced to the national semifinals and the football team won the Peach Bowl. In addition, women's indoor and outdoor track and women's tennis posted Top 10 NCAA finishes.

During the past two years, Baddour hired a new men's basketball coach and football coach, was a member of the NCAA Championship Cabinet and NCAA Football Issues Committee, oversaw development of the indoor football and track facility and softball complex, and hired managing directors in the Educational Foundation and marketing office.

Baddour hired former UNC linebacker John Bunting to direct the football program in December 2000. Bunting starred at Carolina in the 1970s, had a lengthy professional career with the PhiladelphiaEagles and was a highly respected and successful coach in the NFL. Bunting engineered the greatest turnaround in school history, winning eight of the last 10 games, including the Peach Bowl, after starting the season 0-3. He won more games (8) in hisfirst season than any other first year coach in school history.

Not a snowball's chance.

Baddour tabbed former Tar Heel Matt Doherty to replace Bill Guthridge in 2000. Baddour had hired Guthridge to follow the legendary Dean Smith after Smith stepped down just four months after Baddour became athletic director. Guthridge took two teams to the NCAA Final Four and was the winningest first-, second- and third-year coach in NCAA history. In his first season, Doherty led Carolina to 18 consecutive wins, a No. 1 national ranking and share of the ACC regular-season championship and was named theAssociated Press National Coach of the Year.

After back-to-back disappointing seasons, though, Doherty was forced out after the 2002-03 season and replaced by then-KU coach Roy Williams.

Baddour, who has served on 12 ACC committees and is past chair of the ACC Athletic Directors, will serve as a member of ACC Committees on Football, Basketball and Television and has chaired the ACC Tennis Committee.

Baddour has hired new head coaches in six sports, including football, men's basketball, men's golf, women's tennis, baseball and men's lacrosse. Baddour hired Mike Fox, a former Tar Heel who played in the 1978 College World Series, as baseball coach; John Inman, 1984 NCAA men's golf champion and former PGA Tour golfer, as the men's golf coach; Jen Callen as the women's tennis coach; and John Haus to rebuild the men's lacrosse program. Haus won NCAAchampionships in 1981 and 1982 as a Tar Heel defensive star and twice coached Johns Hopkins University to the national semifinals.

In addition to the many personnel and facility changes that Baddour has managed, fiscal responsibility has been a key directive in his tenure as athletic director. He has instituted a number of measures designed to keep UNC among the nation's most competitive athletic programs, while at the same time ensuring asound financial future.

Early in his tenure, Baddour established a number of task forces to examine specific functions within the department and guide those administrative units as they prepare for the 21st century. Baddour formed committees to examine recruiting, admissions and academic progress of student-athletes; finances; student-athlete development, communications and most recently, a long-term planfor Kenan Stadium.

As a result, Baddour reorganized the Athletic Department last year after overseeing functional changes in the following areas ­ marketing, communications, academic support, compliance, Educational Foundation, strength and conditioning and ticket operations.

Baddour continues to direct a vast facilities expansion project that stretches from Kenan Stadium to Finley Golf Course. The McCaskill Soccer Center and the Francis E. Henry Stadium (field hockey and lacrosse) were dedicated in 1998 and Finley Golf Course was totally re-designed to a spectacular championship levelin 1999.

Baddour, who has served on 12 ACC committees and is past chair of the ACC Athletic Directors, will serve as a member of ACC Committees on Football, Basketball and Television and has chaired the ACC Tennis Committee.

He is in his 36th year of continuous service to the University. Prior to his current position, he spent 11 years under John Swofford as the executive associate director of athletics.

After graduating from UNC, Baddour spent one year as a cost accountant for Burlington Industries. He then returned to UNC in 1967 as assistant dean of men. In 1971 he became assistant dean of undergraduate admissions. Coordinating freshman admissions took him into every high school in the state. In 1975, he wasawarded a Master of Arts degree in education with a major in student personnel administration and a minor in business administration.

Baddour was then named Assistant Dean at the UNC School of Law from 1983 to 1986. He served as the school's director of admissions and scholarship programs, head of personnel and supervisor of career planning and placement. He was also in charge of minority recruitment.

He became associate athletic director in 1986, was promoted to senior associate director in 1990 and to executive associate in 1995.

A 1962 graduate of Goldsboro High School, Baddour and his wife, Lynda, have two sons and a daughter. Allen graduated from UNC and Carolina law school and is an Assistant District Attorney in Chatham County. He and his wife, Holly, have two sons, Henry and Jack. David is a UNC graduate, a Certified Public Accountant, arecent UNClaw school graduate and works with Womble-Carlyle in theResearch Triangle Park. He and his wife, Carey, live in Carrboro and have a daughter, Lauren. Jennifer is a graduate of UNC Greensboro and earned her master's from the UNC School of Social Work. She is employed as a social worker in the Chapel Hill area. Lynda taught kindergarten and first grade for 17 years.

—Courtesy of tarheelblue.ocsn.com.