July 8, 2010
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By Leigh Torbin
UCFAthletics.com
SAN FRANCISCO (UCFAthletics.com) University of Central Florida Associate Director of Athletics Joe Hornstein was named the second vice president of the 2,500-member College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) for the 2010-11 academic year yesterday as the association of collegiate sports communications professionals concluded its annual convention at the Marriott Marquis in San Francisco.
A four-year employee of UCF Athletics and 20-year veteran of collegiate athletics communications, Hornstein's role with the CoSIDA Board of Directors will ultimately lead to the organization's Presidency during 2012-13, when the organization's annual workshop takes place in Orlando. That year will hold significance for the historic organization, founded in 1957, as it will finally join ranks with its collegiate peers at the annual NACDA (National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics) convention at the Marriott World Center.
"For several years, we've been wanting Joe to serve on our Board of Directors," said John Humenik, Executive Director of CoSIDA. "An opportunity finally presented itself within the organization and the board selected Joe to fill it. Our board was no longer interested in just filling positions, but rather wanted to find those collegiate communication professionals who were passionate, focused and truly wanted to be a leader of this great organization. Joe fit that mold for us and we look forward to his work with next year's convention in Marco Island and beyond."
"It's a great honor and opportunity to work with CoSIDA on its Board of Directors," said Hornstein. "To represent the University of Central Florida and my athletics department on a national level holds a special meaning for me and I look forward to representing the UCF nation admirably. We will continue to work hard for our organization, tackle those issues that affect us, and shape the future of our profession."
In his present role as second vice president, Hornstein will lead the coordination of the convention program for the 2011 workshop at the Marco Island Marriott. This year's convention featured several notable speakers including former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer, presently with Ari Fleischer Sports Communications, ESPN founder and visionary Bill Rasmussen, BCS Executive Director Bill Hancock, USBWA President Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post Dispatch, FWAA President George Schroeder of the Eugene Register-Guard and Erik Christianson, NCAA Director of Public and Media Relations.
This year's convention also featured a panel led by Hornstein, during the convention's third day, the "Digital Summitt Day." The panel was entitled "Being Your Own Media" with Hornstein joined by Ronnie Ramos, the NCAA's Managing Director of New Media Strategies, and Dr. Bill Smith, longtime Assistant Athletics Director for New Media at the University of Arkansas. Hornstein talked about UCF's own experiences developing and implementing the "Knights Insider" umbrella of coverage for the school's 16 varsity programs.
Prior to joining UCF Athletics, Hornstein spent four years leading the media relations effort for the Miami-based Orange Bowl Committee (OBC), lastly as the organization's vice president for communications. Before the OBC, Hornstein served nearly five seasons as assistant sports information director at the University of Miami working primarily with the Hurricanes' football and baseball programs. Hornstein left for UM in 1998 after spending three seasons as a graduate assistant for the Florida State sports information office. Hornstein, who graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in public relations from South Florida, first started as a student assistant in the USF sports information office.
Hornstein also serves as an ex-officio officer with the FWAA Board of Directors, as well as being named to the FWAA's newly-formed ethics committee.