Two local candidates with experience working with the finances of sports, David Matlin and Keith Amemiya, have emerged as the favorites to become the next University of Hawaii athletic director.
Whether it is Matlin or Amemiya who succeeds Ben Jay, they will have to grapple with a spiraling fiscal crisis, among other challenges facing the university.
Matlin, executive director of the Hawaii Bowl and the Diamond Head Classic, was the recommendation of a search advisory committee to Chancellor Robert Bley-Vroman, sources said.
Amemiya, a member of the state Board of Education and former executive director of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association, was not interviewed by the search committee, but met with Bley-Vroman last week about the position, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser was told.
Bley-Vroman is not bound by the recommendation of the eight-person search committee.
Amemiya declined comment Tuesday. Matlin did not respond to a call seeking comment. A member of the search committee, UH associate athletic director Marilyn Moniz-Kahoohanohano, also declined comment.
Bley-Vroman will formally announce the successor to Ben Jay by March 31, according to a UH press release Tuesday.
A decision could come soon, however.
One source familiar with the process said, "My guess would be much sooner than later that there’s going to be an announcement of whoever it is."
There is a UH Board of Regents meeting scheduled for Thursday, in which Bley-Vroman is expected to provide an update on the search. One topic of discussion could be the salary demands of the candidates. There is an approved salary range for the position — the existing range is $225,000 to $315,000 — and any additional compensation package would require board approval. Bley-Vroman is not, however, expected to name his choice at that meeting, according to UH spokesman Dan Meisenzahl.
According to UH’s release, the chancellor’s eventual choice for the job will go before the board at an April 16 meeting for final approval.
UH is trying to get the new athletic director in place by June. At a press conference Dec. 9, Jay announced his resignation, but he has remained at the post while UH has sought his replacement.
"Both are excellent candidates to be my successor here," Jay said of Matlin and Amemiya. "They both love Hawaii athletics, and they both know the importance of athletics not only to the university, but also to the state of Hawaii."
Unlike Jay, who hails from Ohio, both candidates have extensive local backgrounds. And both have worked in athletics locally, albeit on different levels.
Matlin was born in Hawaii and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan, and followed up with a master’s in business administration at UH. One of his first jobs was as marketing operations manager for the Houston Astros, with whom he was promoted to director of sales. Since 2009 he’s directed the two ESPN-owned-and-operated holiday sports events connected with UH football and men’s basketball.
Amemiya was born in Hawaii, graduated from Punahou and received a bachelor’s in business from UH and a doctorate from the William S. Richardson School of Law. He served on the UH Board of Regents and is senior vice president at Island Holdings Inc. In his years at the HHSAA, he was hailed for his work, particularly his "Save Our Sports" fundraising initiative.
Jay’s optimism about the possible next men up was tempered by his firsthand knowledge of the myriad challenges they would face. Jay began the job in January 2013 and was a target of frequent criticism in his two years.
Most notably, the new athletic director will have to deal with ballooning economic problems and pressure from various corners to solve the financial crisis. For the 2014-15 fiscal year, which ends June 30, UH projects a $3.5 million deficit.
The landscape of college athletics is shifting dramatically, as well. Student-athletes could soon receive unlimited meals and cost-of-attendance stipends in schools across the country, items that are not currently budgeted at UH. The university must continue to pay travel subsidies to play in the Mountain West and Big West conferences, a challenge unique to UH.
One of the first key decisions made by the new athletic director will be the head coach of the Rainbow Warrior basketball team, which is currently headed by interim coach Benjy Taylor.
In the UH statement, Bley-Vroman said, "I would like to thank the search committee members for their hard work and dedication. I appreciate their efforts in evaluating the candidates for this extremely critical position, not just for UH but for the entire state. I’m confident that we will be able to name an athletic director that possesses the right combination of executive leadership skills and vision to guide and grow the program through these challenging times."
