NEW ORLEANS – University of New Orleans Director of Athletics Tim Duncan rounded out his executive staff Wednesday with the hiring of Steve Stroud as Deputy Athletic Director and Chief Development and Revenue Officer. Stroud joins the Privateers after five years as Troy University’s Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs.
Primarily responsible for fundraising and premium ticket sales, Stroud was instrumental in Troy’s record-setting fundraising in each of the past three years. The Trojans saw drastic improvements in attendance with Stroud leading the marketing in 2015-16 and as the primary contact for suites and premium seating in 2017-19.
At New Orleans, Stroud will oversee all external units and he will be the sport administrator for baseball.
“I am excited to add Steve to the team we are building here at New Orleans Athletics,” said Duncan. “He is a fundraiser’s fundraiser, meaning he is a person that proven development officers call when they have questions about structure, strategy or metrics. Given our history of working together at the University of Memphis, I have a tremendous amount of respect for Steve, his talent, and his approach to cultivating and nurturing relationships. His impact on Privateer Nation will be immediate and long-lasting!”
An executive staff member for the Privateers, Stroud will manage all annual and capital fundraising efforts in collaboration with the university advancement office, facilitate new business development, oversee campus and community marketing and manage the Privateers’ corporate sponsorship program. Additionally, Stroud will lead season ticket and premium sales campaigns and provide oversight of New Orleans’ multimedia rights partnership.
“This position at the University of New Orleans was one that I could not turn down,” said Stroud. “Dr. (John) Nicklow’s vision for the campus community, in conjunction with Tim Duncan’s leadership and energy created an extremely attractive opportunity. My wife, Deirdre, and our three kids eagerly look forward to joining the New Orleans community and becoming true New Orleans Privateers.”
As the chief fundraiser for the Troy Trojans, Stroud revamped the annual giving program and all suite and premium seating sales for football, basketball and baseball, and was the liaison to the university’s foundation and alumni association. Stroud supervised the athletics ticket office and was a key member of the strategic planning committee.
Since arriving at Troy, Stroud was pivotal in securing nearly $11 million in new gifts and pledges for the Trojans from nearly 3,000 donors making over 12,000 individual gifts. In 2018, athletics totaled $2.1 million in cash and pledges, an all-time record. Over the past five years, Stroud has led efforts to secure some of the largest gifts in Troy Athletics history, including a recent joint commitment to Athletics and the College of Business. In November 2017, Stroud launched a new athletics major giving society, the Troy Athletics Leadership Society, to encourage gifts of $25,000+ which has already surpassed $350,000 total. Specific to increasing annual giving funds, Stroud was key in growing unrestricted annual gifts from $15,000 to over $160,000 in 2018.
Stroud was the Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs at College of Charleston from 2011-14. He served as the Associate Athletic Director for Advancement and then External Affairs at the University of Missouri – Kansas City (UMKC) from 2007-10.
With over 19 years of external collegiate experience, Stroud was the Assistant Athletic Director for Annual Giving at the University of Memphis from 2003-07 and Assistant Director of Annual Giving at the University of Miami from 2001-02.
A native of Marietta, Ga., Stroud earned bachelor’s degrees in marketing and finance from the University of Georgia in 2000 and completed his master’s degree in sports administration from St. Thomas University in 2001.
He is married to Deirdre and is the proud father of Carter, Dashel and Hadley.
Article courtesy of UNO Sports Information Department.
