William “Bill” Husak, Ph.D. begins a year as the Interim Athletics Director for the Long Beach City College Vikings.  “I am excited to be able to work for one of the two great institutions of higher learning in the City of Long Beach.”

Between 1998 and 2018, Bill served as the Athletics Director at Loyola Marymount University, one of 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the country.  He directed and led all aspects of the NCAA Division I Athletics program which included over 400 student athletes, approximately 40 coaches who directed 22 teams, 35 administrators and staff as well as over 100 student workers.  He coordinated those who were responsible for Sports Medicine, Strength and Conditioning, Student-Athlete Services, Sports Information/Media, Marketing and Promotions, Corporate Sponsorship, Tickets, Facilities, Compliance, Business and Finance and Internal Operations.  During his time he created a strategic plan which in part resulted in $40,000,000 in facility construction and upgrades.  Bill worked across campus as a member of the Student Affairs staff in fundraising efforts which included special events, annual giving, and major gifts and planned gifts.  Husak feels, “Although the Division I and community college Athletics Director’s jobs are vastly different, at its core the mission remains the same – to be of service to our student-athletes.  One of the similarities between LMU and LBCC is the size of the program as both serve about 400 student-athletes.”

The five year period of 1993-98 saw Husak serve as the Senior Associate Athletics Director at California State University, Long Beach.  In his role he coordinated all of the major fund raising efforts including special events, annual giving, major gifts and planned gifts.  These efforts were used to not only help expand funding for the Athletics program, but also to raise $6,000,000 in 18 months so that The Pyramid, the Beach’s premier Athletic facility, could be built and opened.  Husak notes that, “Construction is always exciting at institutions and it is a sign of health and a commitment to excellence.”

From the time he moved to Long Beach in 1979 till 1993 he served as a professor and chair of the Physical Education/Kinesiology Department.  Going through the professorial ranks his research and writing led to over 100 presentations, articles and books.  During his time as Department Chair, he administered a program of approximately 120 faculty and staff who taught over 4,000 students and offered over 600 classes every semester.  “My academic experience at Long Beach State provided me with an appreciation that most Athletics administrators don’t have of the higher education enterprise as a whole.”

Bill received his Bachelor of Science from State University of New York, Cortland and his Masters of Science and Doctor of Philosophy from Texas A&M University.  In between his undergraduate and graduate education he taught grades 4-6 Health and Physical Education while also coaching football, basketball and golf at Mynderse Academy in Seneca Falls, New York.  He and his wife Tish have lived in Long Beach for 40 years and have three sons and seven grandchildren.