June 15, 2009
DAVIS, Calif. - Senior Associate Athletics Director Bob Bullis, whose career highlights include leadership in the construction of new Aggie Stadium, will retire from UC Davis after more than three decades of service to the University, it's been announced.
Bullis, who will be recognized by his many friends and colleagues with a reception on Thursday, will retire at the end of June.
"Bob has been an integral member of Intercollegiate Athletics' leadership team for a long time and his dedication to the program will be deeply missed,' said Greg Warzecka, Director of Athletics. "It's difficult to think of an area of our program where he hasn't had a major impact."
Bullis said he has enjoyed the many years he's spent on campus and the friendships he's made.
"One of the best parts of my job is the people that I've been able to work with across campus," Bullis said. "I don't think many people get that opportunity. "
"It's the breadth of the job," he added. "I've been able to meet and work with many people in so many different capacities."
In his current role, Bullis oversees the department's budget while also supervising game management operations and several sports including men's and women's golf, women's lacrosse, and the four aquatics sports. Additionally, he is responsible for facility operations.
Bullis' tenure at UC Davis began in 1977 when he joined the campus community as Associate Intramural Sports Director. He moved over to athletics as Business Manager and Event Manager in 1988 before transitioning to Assistant Athletics Director in 1994. Bullis was subsequently promoted to Associate Athletics Director and then to his current role.
He was instrumental in helping the athletics program navigate during budget challenges in the early 1990s before helping the campus as it expanded its sports offerings a few years later. Bullis helped in UC Davis' transition to offering athletics grants-in-aid in 1998 and was key a contributor during the reclassificaton to NCAA Division I beginning in 2003.
Bullis also served as tournament director and/or coordinated game operations for several conference and NCAA Championship events, including those for football, men's and women's basketball, baseball and softball.
"UC Davis hosted many NCAA regional tournaments during the 1990s, especially in basketball and softball, and a lot of the reason was because Bob and his staff did an extraordinary job providing a great experience for the teams," said Warzecka. "That effort extends to all of our regular-season events as well, which is appreciated by our student-athletes, coaches and fans."
Bullis has helped oversee improvements to many of UC Davis' athletics facilities but it was his dedication and vision that helped beautiful Aggie Stadium come to fruition.
Despite many logistical and budgetary challenges, Bullis helped the stadium open in 2007, providing the Aggie football program a new home for the first time in more than a half-century while also providing a first-class playing facility for women's lacrosse and for women's field hockey, which begins competition this fall.
"Bob was a driving force behind the construction schedule for Aggie Stadium," Warzecka said. "It was an enormous undertaking, but Bob helped steer the process, resulting in a stadium that everyone agrees is one of the best designed stadiums in the area."
Warzecka said Bullis' campus-wide working relationships were instrumental for that project as well as many others benefitting UC Davis athletics.
"He's developed a lot of friendships throughout the campus community and is one of those rare individuals who knows the right person to call whenever something needs get done," said Warzecka. "He is universally well-respected on the campus and deservedly so."
Despite the breadth of his duties, Bullis said each of them had one thing in common.
"Regardless of what you do, my philosophy has always been very simple, "Do the right thing. Treat people with respect, provide excellent service and everything else will work out," he said.
Bullis graduated with his undergraduate degree in physical education from the University of Northern Iowa in 1971, earning his graduate degree from the university a year later. He taught high school and coached basketball in Australia from 1972-1974 before assuming duties as head basketball coach and physical education instructor at Ottumwa Heights College in Iowa from 1974-77.
An avid golfer, he and his wife Cathie, plan to continue their pursuit of that hobby throughout his retirement while also traveling. A national search for an Executive Assistant Athletics Director for Business Operations is currently being conducted.
