Athletic Staff workers. He took over as the athletic marketing director in 1997, serving in that capacity for seven months before becoming the director of annual giving in the Tiger Club Office. There, he oversaw the annual membership drive, contacted new members, and assisted in fundraising efforts totaling over $2 million. Lansden earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from Rhodes College in 1986, playing football all four years in college and serving as team captain his senior season. He received his master's degree in sports administration from Georgia State University in Atlanta in 1993. Lansden is married to the former Blair Savage, who was recently hired as the Lady Tiger basketball coach.
MELISSA MOORE Assistant Athletic Director Melissa Moore is one of several Athletic Department employees who are making a transition into a new role this year. After 15 years with the Tiger Club staff, Moore is now the Assistant Athletic Director for Ticketing and Customer Service. Moore is in her 20th year as a member of the athletic department. She joined the Tiger Clubs office in 1986, serving as Tiger Clubs Coordinator for six years, and was the Assistant Athletic Director for the past eight years. A 1985 graduate of the University of Memphis, Moore received her bachelor's degree with a major in accounting. During her tenure as a student, Moore worked in the Athletic Academic Office and moved to the Athletic Department, working the athletic director's office and the basketball office before joining the staff of the Tiger Clubs. As an undergraduate student, Moore received an early taste of athletics. She was a featured majorette with the University of Memphis band, the Mighty Sound of the South, from 1980-84. The band performed at all U of M football and basketball games. She was named to the Outstanding Young Women of America in 1985. The native Memphian is a graduate of Germantown High School. She is married to Steve Brigance of Sharon, Tenn.
STEVE STROUD Assistant AD/ Annual Giving Steven Stroud, who serves as the assistant athletic director for annual giving, joined the Tigers in January 2003. He is responsible for the Tiger Clubs annual giving campaign, which includes overseeing the Tiger Clubs Fund Drive .
Stroud graduated from the University of Georgia in 2000, where he worked with athletic marketing and promotions. While at Georgia, he received his bachelor's degree with a double major in marketing and finance. He went on to receive his master’s degree in sports administration from St. Thomas University in 2001. Stroud joined the U of M staff from the University of Miami, where he served as the assistant director of annual giving. During his tenure with the Hurricanes, annual giving doubled over a threeyear period. Stroud and his wife, Deirdre, an interior designer, reside in Cordova.
FRED STEWART Assistant Athletic Director/Business Fred Stewart is in his 18th year as the Athletic Business Manager at the U of M. A native of Bruce, Miss., Stewart moved to Memphis with his family in 1963 and graduated from Frayser High School in 1967. Stewart entered the United States Navy in 1968 and served for two years on the aircraft carrier USS Kearsarge CVA-21. He began working at International Harvester in 1968 before joining the Navy and returned to the company in 1970. Stewart enrolled in The U of M while working at IH and received his BBA in accounting in 1978. He moved into the accounting office at Harvester in 1978 and remained there for seven years. Stewart was hired as Athletic Business Manager at Memphis in 1986.
MURRAY ARMSTRONG Director of Facilities Murray Armstrong has served under eight head football coaches during his 42year tenure at the University of Memphis. He was hired by former head coach and athletic director Billy J. Murphy in 1962. Armstrong has been involved with every facet of college football at Memphis. He has been an assistant freshman coach, head freshman coach, varsity defensive end coach, kicking coach, special teams coach, academic advisor and administrative aid during his tenure with the Tigers. He currently serves as the coordinator of the Billy J. Murphy Athletic Complex. A 1961 graduate of the University of Tennessee, Armstrong was a first team all-Southeastern Conference academic selection in 1961. Armstrong was a three-year letterman for the Volunteers. He received his degree in sociology and biology from Tennessee and has since earned his master's degree at the University of Memphis.
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Armstrong and his wife, Joan, have two children Sterritt, a 1990 West Point graduate, and Brence, a 1997 graduate of Memphis.
JENNIFER RODRIGUES Director of Athletic Media Relations Jennifer Rodrigues, who is in her seventh year with the U of M, is also changing her role this year, as she was elevated to Director of Athletic Media Relations. She replaces Bob Winn, who was promoted to Assoc. Athletic Director for External Affairs this past summer. Rodrigues is responsible for the publicity and promotion of the U of M football and rifle teams, as well as overseeing the Athletic Media Relations Office. Rodrigues also is responsible for overseeing the work of the athletic media relations graduate and student assistants. In March 2000, she served as the assistant Media Coordinator of the NCAA Men’s 1st and 2nd Round tournament, and a year later served as the media coordinator for the NCAA Women's Basketball Mideast Regional. In 2002, she volunteered at the Mideast Regional hosted by Marquette University. A 1995 graduate of the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now UL-Lafayette), Rodrigues joined Memphis after serving two years as an assistant media relations director at Mississippi State, where she was the contact for women's basketball and softball. She also assisted in the game-day operations for football, volleyball and men's basketball. Prior to Mississippi St., Rodrigues served as assistant SID for women's athletics at Northern Arizona University. She also served as interim SID at NAU and handled men's basketball and football prior to accepting the job at MSU. The New Orleans, La., native received her bachelor's degree in journalism at USL, where she served as a student assistant in the sports information office. There she was the media contact for volleyball and the nationally-ranked Lady Cajun softball team. Rodrigues, 31, is married to Mike Rodrigues, who is an assistant athletic trainer for the U of M. The couple has a daughter, Alyssa, who was born on Nov. 27, 2002.
SYRA THIBAULT Director of Marketing/ Promotions Syra Thibault is entering her fourth year as the Director of Marketing and Promotions for the U of M. Thibault joined the staff from the University of South Alabama where she served as the marketing and promotions director for three years, while earning her degree. She graduated from USA