2013 Football Guide
ADMINISTRATION Missouri State University
Executive Director of Athletic and Entertainment Facilities 30th Year at Missouri State
Springfield native Randy Blackwood is entering his 30th year at Missouri State and his ninth as executive director of athletic and entertainment facilities. Blackwood earned his bachelor’s degree in speech and theatre from Missouri State in 1980. He has been involved in public assembly venue management since 1981, serving as the Fine Arts Auditorium Manager at the University of Georgia for four years before returning to his alma mater in 1984. During his tenure at MSU, Blackwood has been involved in the administration of Hammons Student Center and Plaster Sports Complex, including the last nine years as director of the two facilities. On July 1, 2005, he was named executive director of the University’s three top public venues, Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts, Hammons Student Center, and Plaster Sports Complex. In 2008, Blackwood added another on-campus facility to the list of venues he oversees with the opening of JQH Arena. Blackwood is a graduate of Leadership Springfield and a member of the International Association of Assembly Managers (IAAM), as well as the 2013 class of Leadership Missouri. He also serves as chairman of the board for the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau. Blackwood resides in Springfield with his wife, Joyce Owen-Blackwood.
General Manager, Nelligan Sports Marketing, Inc. Second Year at Missouri State
Frank Cuervo begins his second year at Missouri State after being named the general manager for marketing and corporate partnerships for Missouri State Sports Marketing, a division of Nelligan Sports Marketing, in February 2012. Cuervo leads the department’s marketing and sponsorship sales efforts, with a focus on developing strong partnerships between MSU Athletics and local, regional and national businesses. Prior to his appointment with NSM, Cuervo spent nearly two years as the senior associate athletics director for external affairs at Southeast Missouri State. Cuervo joined the Redhawks administrative staff after serving as general manager and assistant vice president for ISP Sports, working with the Northern Illinois University Sports Network. Previously, he completed a three-year tenure as assistant director of athletics for external operations at Indiana, where he managed the department’s marketing, ticketing and media relations efforts. From 2001-06, Cuervo spent six years at the University of Missouri in Columbia, where he served as director of marketing and assistant athletics director for external operations. He began his career in Division I athletics as a marketing coordinator at Ohio State in 1999, before moving on to Bowling Green State as assistant A.D. for marketing and sales. Cuervo is graduated from University of Florida in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree inmarketing and public relations and a minor in finance and later earned a master’s degree in Sport Management from The Ohio State University. Cuervo, his wife, Michelle, and newborn son Nathan, reside in Springfield.
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www.MissouriStateBears.com
Missouri State University is a community of people with respect for diversity. The University emphasizes the dignity and equality common to all persons and adheres to a strict nondiscrimination policy regarding the treatment of individual faculty, staff, and students. In accord with federal law and applicable Missouri statutes, the University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, or veteran status in employment or in any program or activity offered or sponsored by the University. In addition, the University does not discriminate on any basis not related to the applicable educational requirements for students or the applicable job requirements for employees. The University maintains a grievance procedure incorporating due process available to any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against. Missouri State University is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action employer. Inquiries concerning the grievance procedure, Affirmative Action Plan, or compliance with federal and state laws and guidelines should be addressed to the Missouri State University Office of Equity and Diversity, 901 South National, Springfield, Missouri 65897.
Intercollegiate Athletics Mission Statement Approved by the Board of Governors October 1995, revised November 1999, December 2001, October 2003
Missouri State University (MSU) is committed to an intercollegiate athletics program which complements the mission of the University and operates in accordance with the principles and regulations of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. As a member of various athletics conferences, MSU is committed to academic and athletics excellence, sound fiscal management practices, enhancement of the physical and educational welfare of student-athletes, equal opportunity, character development, principles of amateurism, as well as the fundamental values of sportsmanship, civility, and the common virtue of good citizenship.
The Bears Fund The Bears Fund is the annual fund-raising program for Missouri State intercollegiate athletics that was established in 1981 in conjunction with the move of MSU athletics to NCAA Division I status. Over the course of the past 33 years, its impact on Missouri State Athletics has grown substantially. The fund’s name stands for “Building Excellence in Athletics through Recruiting and Scholarships,” and it plays a vital role of supporting the 400+ student-athletes at Missouri State University. The Bears Fund is comprised of over 1,000 private contributors that support the endeavors of the student-athletes at Missouri State University by giving them the opportunity to exceed both on and off the playing surface. The fund is administered by the Missouri State University Foundation with additional input from coaching and administrative staff members in intercollegiate athletics. There are nine different membership levels with the Bears Fund. The opportunity to participate and receive benefits starts at $50 each year. Various benefits include premium seating opportunities, game program recognition, Bears Fund exclusive emails, and parking and postseason ticket considerations. To see how current Bears Fund members are making the collegiate experience possible for the student-athletes at Missouri State, visit MissouriStateBears.com, or contact The Bears Fund at 417-836-4143 or via email at AthleticsDevelopment@MissouriState.edu.
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