[UH ATHLETICS]

Donovan to head
up Hawaii Bowl

The associate AD leaves, while
outgoing AD Yoshida will chair
the executive committee

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By Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.com

Jim Donovan is leaving the Hawaii athletic department, but he isn't going very far away.

Donovan, associate athletics director at UH the past six years and a part of the program since he joined the football team as an offensive lineman in 1981, is now the ConAgra Foods Hawaii Bowl's executive director.

Also, outgoing athletics director Hugh Yoshida will chair the new game's executive committee.

Both announcements were made yesterday by Pete Derzis of ESPN, which owns the bowl game along with the Western Athletic Conference and Conference USA.

"Jim has the perfect skill-set for this," Derzis said. "Basically it's starting a business from scratch."

Donovan, 42, was a candidate to replace Yoshida. When Herman Frazier was chosen to be the new UH athletics director, Frazier told Donovan he could remain on his new staff, but Donovan decided to pursue other interests.

He said he is planning on officially leaving UH in early or mid September.

"I'm working that out with Herman," he said.

Donovan considered running for public office this fall, but said yesterday that would interfere too much with his position with the bowl game.

Technically, it is a part-time job that pays around $30,000 a year. But Donovan anticipates long days "and some short 12-14 hour ones, too," he said.

"We're working with a compressed timeline," Donovan said. "We have to do in four months what most bowl games do in a year. Right now I want to concentrate on my job with the ConAgra Hawaii Bowl and get it up and running. After a year we'll reevaluate."

Donovan's duties include securing corporate sponsors, selling tickets and organizing bowl-week activities.

"Jim's a real plus for the game," Yoshida said. "As associate AD he ran the day-to-day operations and was a clearinghouse for all financial transactions. He knows the community and is well-respected."

Yoshida said his own role, at least for now, is similar to that of an unpaid consultant.

"But that could change after I retire," said Yoshida. Frazier replaces him officially Aug. 1, but Yoshida's contract runs through the end of the calendar year and he plans to help Frazier transition into the AD position.

Donovan and Yoshida have already begun work on their first task of building a game committee.

Restaurant proprietor Don Murphy will be one of the executive board members and will head a sub-committee for community relations. One of the sub-committee's responsibilities will be to provide at least 2,000 tickets for underprivileged children on Oahu.

Donovan said the toughest challenge will be selling the game if Hawaii doesn't win seven games and qualify to play in it.

"Corporate sponsors and local fans need to realize if we don't support (a game without Hawaii in it) we could lose certification and be back with the same frustration as last year," Donovan said.

He was referring to when UH went 9-3, but did not get invited to play in a bowl game. When the Aloha Bowl was played here, UH was invited to play in it in years that it qualified.

Derzis said Warrior football season ticket holders will receive an invitation in the mail to purchase "their same seat or a possible upgrade" for the Hawaii Bowl.

In other UH sports news:

>> A roast of Yoshida on Friday at the Stan Sheriff Center generated $100,000 that will go toward the Hugh and Patti Yoshida Endowed Scholarship. Hugh Yoshida said the scholarship will go to a football player.

>> The Murphy's Warrior Pigskin Pigout fundraiser, usually held in July, will take place Aug. 22 at the corner of Nuuanu and Merchant streets and Murphy's Bar & Grill. Tickets for the block party/memorabilia auction cost $100 and include a fully hosted dinner and entertainment. Call 531-0422 for more information.

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UH Athletics