Saint Leo University Sports Information Director/Athletic Marketing director Walt Riddle has announced his resignation, effective June 30, 2006. One of the longest tenured sports information directors in the Sunshine State Conference, Riddle will remain at the school as a part time employee in charge of the Athletic Hall of Fame and corporate sponsorships/partnerships with area businesses. He will also assist in other projects as set by Director of Athletics Francis X. Reidy.
Reidy stated: I am glad that we will be able to retain Walt, be it in a reduced role for a while. He has done a great job with our corporate partners and telling our story to anyone who will listen. We are better off as a department because of his involvement. We look forward to a few more years of him helping Saint Leo grow and prosper like we have over the last five years.
Riddle returned to Saint Leo University on September 1, 2001 after 10 years as assistant commissioner of the Sunshine State Conference. At one time during his tenure in the SSC office, he had three former assistants who were sports information directors at conference schools. He first served as sports information director at Saint Leo from 1989 to 1991. Prior to coming to Saint Leo, Riddle was a sports writer for 15 years with the Tampa Tribune, working in the Brooksville Bureau.
Walt has been a valuable resource with his experience and knowledge of the conference from his days as assistant commissioner, Reidy pointed out. It has proven invaluable in our strategic planning and steady improvement in the conference over the past few years.
During his five years at Saint Leo, Walt was a mentor to numerous students who worked as work study students in the Sports Information Department. Walt has made contributions to not only Saint Leo, and the Sunshine State Conference, but the sports information industry as a whole during his years in the conference, Reidy added. There are many very good sports information people working today who were mentored by Walt, including Evan Ortiz, who is currently the head sports information director at Eckerd College, Reidy said.
Riddle was inducted into the Sunshine State Conference Hall of Fame in June 2005. He is the chair of the Saint Leo Hall of Fame Committee, was on the national CoSIDA board of directors for four years (2002-2005), and currently is on the site selection committee of CoSIDA.
Reidy added: We are all happy for Walt and his wife Diane that he has decided to step back a bit. They have raised a great family and we wish them many more happy years together as proud grandparents.
Riddle looks forward to spending time with his wife Diane, two sons, Scott and David and his three grandchildren.