This summer, UTSA Athletics will be profiling its numerous areas to provide an inside look into how each unit serves Roadrunners’ student-athletes.
In this edition, we sat down with Mac Hart, Senior Associate Athletics Director for Internal Affairs, to discuss the Business Operations unit.
Q: How does your unit service UTSA student-athletes and the UTSA Athletics department?
Mac Hart: “We don’t do a lot directly with the student-athletes; we work behind the scenes. We help the coaches keep the trains running on schedule and make sure equipment is ordered and inventoried and paid on time. Athletes may not be cognizant of what we do for them because we work in the background but I think we do play a significant role in providing them the best experience that UTSA Athletics can. We work in human resources. We are really hopeful to recruit the best talent out there and I think we have been very successful in that. I feel really good about the people that we’ve brought in and I think they are going to help us keep this trajectory moving upward.”
Q: Why did you decide to come to UTSA?
Mac Hart: “Because of that upward trajectory. San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in America and we have tremendous potential. I think there is a great opportunity for growth here. It’s always fun to be part of making things better and it’s the potential that really attracted me.”
Q: What is something that might surprise people about your area?
Mac Hart: “I think with a $50-million budget, to do what we do with six people would surprise people. I know our people work really hard and they work really smart as well.”
Q: What roles do the people on your team serve?
Mac Hart: “Sherman Corbett really is the one who is the heart and soul of it. He has been here 24 years and he oversees the rest of the staff. We have what I would call business officers. We have Kim Hull, Reko Lovett, Penny Wuebben and Lara Goldmann. They do all of the ordering and they are our front-line staff with the coaches and managers. They help them make sure what they need gets delivered on time. Nikki McGovern handles all of our human resources for a staff of about 145 full-timers and 20 part-timers. She does a great job with the people aspect.”
Q: What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
Mac Hart: “I get real satisfaction in the thought that I help coaches win. Our goal in the business office is to take as much off their plates as we can so that they can focus their efforts on coaching and recruiting. There’s only 24 hours in the day for everybody, so if we can take some of the ordering and the inventory and those things off their plate, they can spend more time on teaching, coaching and recruiting. That’s where I take satisfaction when they are successful and the role that we have played in helping them achieve that.”
Q: What advice do you have for students or student-athletes who might be interested in entering into your profession?
Mac Hart: “It’s a great career. I tell people that it’s probably the only 8-5 job in college athletics. I’ve been able to have a real work-life balance. That’s been really fortunate for me and my family. I think it takes a real knowledge of sports and obviously a real knowledge of accounting. I think if you combine those two things, it’s a great life.”
Q: What kind of educational background would someone need to work in the business office of a college athletics department?
Mac Hart: “Any undergraduate degree with at least a couple of courses in accounting and probably at least one course in finance. I don’t think it takes much more than that. I have a degree in political science and I’m a big fan of the liberal arts, personally. Someone would benefit from a real interest in sports. Enjoying working with coaches and student-athletes is a key part of the job. I think the business aspect is really not that technical.”
Q: What are some of the challenges someone might face in an athletics business office environment?
Mac Hart: “It’s challenging with the changes in college athletics. I think we have to work really collaboratively with campus to make sure that we spend our resources not only efficiently but effectively. I think it’s that sense of collaboration not only within the business office – and I’ve got a great team – but I think there’s a great team across campus, as well, that is helping athletics as much as they can.