July 24, 2006
Center Valley, Pa. - Patriot League staff members, Joanna Kreps and Richard Wanninger, have both been promoted to the title of Associate Executive Director, announced Patriot League Executive Director Carolyn Schlie Femovich on Friday. Kreps and Wanninger will continue to oversee their areas of Sports Management/Governance and External Affairs/Championships, respectively.
"Joanna and Richard have played instrumental roles in the management of the Patriot League", Femovich said. "Both have significant responsibilities and have made valuable contributions in their respective areas and are very deserving of this promotion. I look forward to their continued involvement and leadership toward the advancement of the Patriot League "
Kreps serves are the primary liaison related to the sport management and governance of the Patriot League's 23-sponsored sports. She also oversees the NCAA and Patriot League compliance efforts, coordinates the Patriot League's officiating services and develops Patriot League schedules, including dates and sites of Championships.
Kreps joined the Patriot League in December 2004, after serving as the Assistant Commissioner for Compliance and Business Operations and Senior Woman Administrator for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. In her post at the RMAC she coordinated NCAA and RMAC compliance among the 14-member institutions and managed the internal fiscal operations of the conference office. She was the liaison to the seven conference coordinators of officials and assisted in the administration of the officiating programs, created conference schedules and directed the National Letter of Intent Program and coaches certification testing.
Kreps, a graduate of the University at Albany, spent time at her alma mater where her main responsibility was determining and maintaining NCAA Division I eligibility for 19 male and female varsity programs for over 450 student-athletes.
Wanninger is responsible for the planning and operation of the 22 Patriot League Championships, as well as the League's television and broadband packages, marketing and sponsorship initiatives, and promotion of the Patriot League.
Wanninger came to Center Valley, Pa., in August 2005 after four years at the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency where he served as Director of Communications and Public Affairs. While at USADA, he developed and implemented communications and public affairs plans and managed editorial content for publications and U.S. Anti-Doping Agency website.
Other experiences in Colorado Springs included holding the post of Communications Director for USA Cycling (1998-2000) and working at the U.S. Olympic Committee. A veteran of six Olympic Games and numerous other major international and national championship events, Wanninger has an extensive background in the fields of communications, marketing and event and press operations. Wanninger managed the Main Press Center at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and was the Director of External Affairs for the U.S. Olympic Festival-`95.
Wanninger also worked at USA Volleyball for three years as the Director of Communications and got his start in intercollegiate athletics as an Assistant Sports Information Director at Arizona State in 1985, spending six years in Tempe, Ariz.