At the ‘12 IMG Intercollegiate Athletics Forum, a panel discussion titled, "The New Breed of Athletic Administrators," looked at qualities that define new leaders in college sports today. RSR Partners Sports Practice Managing Dir Joe Bailey, who served as the interim Big East Commissioner prior to Mike Aresco filling the position, said universities are looking for effective leaders with certain qualities: passion, vision, being trustworthy and having an ego strong enough to hire the best people. Arizona State AD & VP/Athletics Steve Patterson made sweeping changes when he joined the school nine months ago after a stint as president of Pro Sports Consulting and 25 years with the Rockets, Texans, Trail Blazers and AHL Houston Aeros. He said, "I had to accelerate the pace, accelerate accountability.” At ASU, Patterson put in place individual business plans for each team, something that had never been done at the school. Patterson said, "A long-term business plan, a strategy, helps you get to where you want to get to.” As a recommendation for young people looking to get into college athletics, Rutgers AD Tim Pernetti suggested finding internships outside the realm. Pernetti said, “Experience in the private sector is crucial. We're talking about businesses that can be over $150 million. It's a massive business." Bowling Green AD Greg Christopher clarified that being an AD is not just about running a business. He said, "These jobs are large-scale human resources jobs. You have to be able to manage relationships and know how to handle a range of issues."
