Names In The News

In San Jose, Mark Purdy profiled Renaissance Cos. Chair FLOYD KEPHART, who is trying to finance a multibillion dollar redevelopment at the proposed Coliseum City complex in Oakland. Purdy asks, "Does he have an actual chance to assemble a project that will keep the Raiders -- and maybe the A's -- in Oakland?" Kephart "has been working with Oakland and Alameda County since last year," and is "portrayed by his detractors as a man spinning a fanciful dream that is all smoke and mirrors." Purdy: "I don't see him that way. I see him as more of a teacher who has been hired to shape up a very dysfunctional and unruly and complicated class of students. And he's finding out that the task is insufferably hopeless." Kephart has "produced nothing of substance, other than an exclusive negotiating agreement between himself and the city-county that will expire later this year if he can't produce." His plan is "almost surely doomed to dissolve in a sour soup of unmet deadlines and pointed fingers" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 4/24).

Belichick is one of several sports personalities to attend Saturday's White House dinner

AND HAIL TO THE CHEF: In California, Marcia Smith profiled Angel Stadium Exec Chef GRETCHEN BEAUMARCHAIS, who in her second season has a team of "about 1,300 players, the full-time or hourly employees of Legends, the ballpark’s exclusive food and beverage caterer." For each of the 81 regular-season home games, roughly 850 "work to satiate the appetites and thirsts" of players, team staff, media and fans. That "includes five chefs, 125 premium cooks, about 600 concession staff, 65 in-stand vendors, 60 front-line waitstaff, 40 back-of-house workers and 25 Diamond Club runners." Beaumarchais said, "Working at Angel Stadium has been an exciting chance to be innovative and creative. We try to make sure there’s something for everyone" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 4/26).

GRIDIRON GREENBACKS: Univ. of Utah men's basketball coach LARRY KRYSTKOWIAK's new eight-year deal that was announced April 8 will cost the school roughly $24.7M through the '22-23 season. His deal includes "base salary, media revenue, additional compensation, Under Armour compensation and retention bonuses." Krystkowiak will make $2.4M next season, and his salary "will increase" 5% every year (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 4/26). Meanwhile, Univ. of Missouri football coach GARY PINKEL received a contract extension on Friday that will pay him $4.02M per year, an increase from $3.2M in annual guaranteed compensation that was approved by the MU Board of Curators (K.C. STAR, 4/25).

NAMES: Time Warner Chair & CEO JEFF BEWKES’ compensation in ’14 amounted to $32.9M, compared to $32.5M in ’13 and $25.9M in ’12. The majority of his pay is “based on the company’s financial and stock performance” (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 4/24)....The Univ. of Miami on Friday unveiled a statue of late baseball coach RON FRASER at the corner of Ponce de Leon Boulevard (MIAMI HERALD, 4/25)....Palm Beach Atlantic Univ. on Saturday inducted late baseball coach GARY CARTER into its HOF and retired his No. 8 jersey (PALM BEACH POST, 4/26)....Former MLBer LOU WHITAKER yesterday “was honored in a pre-game ceremony at Comerica Park” as the recipient of the Tigers’ ’15 American Legacy Award (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 4/27)....ESPN’s DICK VITALE on June 21 will receive the AutoZone Liberty Bowl’s Distinguished Citizen Award at the Hilton Memphis (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 4/26)....Broncos QB PEYTON MANNING and his wife, ASHLEY, announced a $3M leadership commitment to Manning’s alma mater, the Univ. of Tennessee, benefiting both the football program and the Peyton Manning Scholarship Endowment (THE DAILY)....The '15 Dolphins Cycling Challenge raised $4.65M for research at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the Univ. of Miami (PALMBEACHPOST.com, 4/27)....Friday’s “ChuckStrong” Tailgate Gala, named for Colts coach CHUCK PAGANO, “had its most successful night yet,” raising $720,000 for cancer research (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 4/27)....Arizona State Univ. has hired BOB BOWMAN, the longtime coach and mentor of MICHAEL PHELPS, as its men’s and women’s swimming coach (ASU)....UFC fighter JON JONES yesterday “was being sought by Albuquerque police” for questioning in connection with a hit-and-run accident earlier in the day that “sent a pregnant woman in her 20s to the hospital” (ALBUQUERQUE JOUNRAL, 4/27)....Former NFLer O.J. BRIGANCE’s annual 5.7-km run, organized through the Brigance Brigade, was held Saturday in Baltimore (BALTIMORESUN.com, 4/25).