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Updated September 12, 2010 University of Oregon President Richard Lariviere named Rob Mullens director of intercollegiate athletics on July 15, 2010. Mullens arrived from the University of Kentucky, where he served as deputy director of athletics and managed day-to-day operations of Kentucky s 22-sport athletics department, with an annual operating budget of $79 million. His background is in accounting and auditing, and he promoted sound fiscal management and self-sufficiency at the University of Kentucky. During his total of eight years at Kentucky, the athletic department s operating budget expanded by nearly 70 percent. Fundraising for the department hit record levels each of the past seven years prior to his departure. Prior to being named deputy director of athletics at Kentucky, Mullens served as the university s executive associate director of athletics from 2002 to 2006. 2009 All Star St.Louis Cardinals 5 Pujols Red Jerseys He served at the University of Maryland from 1996 to 2002, starting as assistant director of athletics for business and ultimately as executive senior associate director of athletics and chief of Rays 13 Carl Crawford Red 2010 All Star Jerseys staff. The West Virginia native was senior athletics business manager at the University of Miami (Fla.) from 1994 to 1996, and prior to that he was an accountant/auditor at Ernst Young in Raleigh, N.C. Much will be expected of Rob Mullens as the university s new athletics director, and based on his track record I am confident that he will be very successful at the University of Oregon, Lariviere said. Rob has been asked to develop a clear vision to maintain and advance the UO s competitive advantages in fundraising, facilities development and recruitment and retention of student-athletes and staff. He will insure that the athletics department remains financially self-sufficient, while at the same time promoting an environment that helps each student athlete to succeed in the classroom as well as the field of competition. This is a period of important growth and change for the athletics department. A new basketball arena will open within a year and additional improvements are on the way for other athletics facilities. It will be Rob s role to not only oversee and promote future advances for the department, but to nurture the individual programs that will fill those outstanding venues. Mullens (7/19/69) went to school at West Virginia University, where he earned a bachelor s degree in business administration and a master s degree in sport management. He and his wife, Jane, have two sons - Cooper and Tanner.