Jim Johnson begins his 17th year at Pitt State in an entirely new position. His new title is he Executive Vice President for Engagement and Executive Affairs.
As he transitions from his years as head of the Athletic department, he also ends with the following accolades and accomplishments. He was two-time NACDA Athletic Director of the Year, served 2 years as chair of the NCAA Division 2 Management Council, President of the Division 2 Athletic Directors Association in 2018-2019, created the Silverback Fund, The Troop Award, the Gorilla Kick-Off Party and Auction, plus many other decorations not listed.
Stepping away from a position like this brings a lot of emotions.
“College athletics is in a really unique place right now, the NIL, the transfer portal and schools moving from one conference to another,” he said. “I think a lot of folks that have been in athletic administrations like me for twenty-five to thirty years, are looking right now like it’s a pretty good time to hand the baton to the next generation.”
President Thomas Newsom shared that the continuous drive from his team during the start of this school year has been outstanding.
“I think we are in a great place in terms of the momentum that was here when I got here a year ago, and we’ve grown that and we’ve continued it,” Newsom stated.
Newsom knew that Johnson had all the attributes to help the university be just as successful as he was in his awarded career as the AD.
“The idea that he could help take our university on the same trajectory that he took our athletic department on,” Newsom said. “It was quite frankly an easy choice, and he was here already, and was excited about it, and saw my vision.”
Johnson explained the vision that he believed him and Newsom shared for this new position. He shared that the title is two parts.
“The engagement is anything we’re doing to engage students, faculty, staff, community, and alums, Johnson expressed. “Are we doing that in a way that is across the university, that’s consistent, that’s positive, that supports the strategic plan?”
He then tied it in into the second half of his title, executive affairs.
“Then the executive affairs piece is more of a catch-all, a term that tied all the leadership team together, and sure that the academic affairs, student affairs, enrollment management, advancement, and that we were a team in approaching some of these cross divisional issues,” Johnson said.
Newsom shared the direct impact that this new role and member of his staff will have on the students of PSU and how they will quickly see these changes.
“They are going to see a university that really has more focus and intentionality,” Newsom stated. “We really need to make sure that we support our cabinet members, our vice presidents, so that they can be really focused and intentional in those spaces.”
Johnson also articulated that Anthony Crespino, who is following in his footsteps, is a local of Pittsburg and was even a student employee in the Athletic Department when Johnson arrived here in 2010. This is why Johnson believes that he is a terrific fit to carry on his old role.
“Anthony has had some great experience in other jobs, he’s a local and he grew up here,” Johnson said. “[With this transition we] had the pieces in place where we could make these moves with very little disruption and it has worked pretty well.”
