Bob Denman has strong ties to UALR that span four decades, but he has never worked inside the athletic department of his alma mater.
That will change Monday when Denman takes over as UALR's interim athletic director.
At a glance
NAME Bob Denman
AGE 62
POSITION Interim athletic director/vice chancellor for university advancement
EDUCATION UALR 1974
NOTABLE Arrived at UALR in 2001 as its director of development. … Served the previous 11 years as vice president at KARK-TV in Little Rock. … Helped lead UALR’s first comprehensive fundraising campaign. With a goal of $75 million, the campaign raised $103 million. … A former president of UALR’s alumni association.
Denman, 62, was chosen Friday by Chancellor Joel E. Anderson to lead the department through a transition between the 14-year tenure of Chris Peterson and its next full-time athletic director. Anderson said in a news release Friday that a search committee to find the next athletic director will be formed by the end of the month, and that he hopes to have the position filled by Jan. 1.
Denman is currently serving as UALR's vice chancellor for university advancement. When he takes over Monday, it will have been 13 days since Peterson stepped down.
Although Peterson never gave a reason for his resignation Sept. 2, a video recording was released by UALR on Sept. 3 that included audio of Peterson commenting on the physical appearance of a mother of a UALR women's soccer player. The comments were made in the press box at Coleman Sports & Recreation Complex and were caught on a live webcast of the soccer game.
Anderson was in Morrilton for a University of Arkansas Board of Trustees meeting Friday and unavailable for an interview, a university spokesman said, but Anderson said in the university release that Denman can provide "broad leadership."
"Vice Chancellor Denman can do more than keep the ship on a steady course," Anderson said in the release. "He is already well-acquainted with the department of athletics, its fan base and its donor base."
Denman said he has no interest in the full-time athletic director position but that he hopes to improve a support base that could use a boost after a summer filled while mostly negative publicity.
The incidents included UALR's baseball coach, Scott Norwood, resigning in June four days before the release of an audio tape that caught him in a profanity-laced tirade directed at players. Anderson hired The Compliance Group, a private firm based in Lenexa, Kan., to investigate an array of accusations into the program, including NCAA violations within.
Still, Denman said there was plenty to tout about the Trojans.
"We are central Arkansas' Division I program," Denman said. "It's great to support the Razorbacks, it's great to support these other programs. But, you know, our student-athletes represent Little Rock and the central Arkansas area. They have it on their jerseys when they travel all across the country.
"I would like to figure out a way with the staff to build on that support."
Denman will likely be leading UALR's athletic department when the independent investigation concludes. The investigation already had cost UALR $20,506.80 through July 31, according to an invoice obtained by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette through a records request.
Denman said the report could be released next week.
Sports on 09/13/2014