This profile on 2011 CoSIDA Kenworthy Award recipient Bill Smith, Assistant AD/New Media at the University of Arkansas, is the eighth in a series of profiles and features on CoSIDA's 2011 Special Awards recipients. See link to original release and the March/April schedule of the profiles/features, below.
THE CoSIDA SPECIAL AWARDS FEATURES SERIES
March
Tue. 1 Special Awards general announcement
Thr. 3 Capital One Academic All-America Hall of Fame release
Thr. 3 Ann King (The Sage Colleges): 25-Year Award
Tue. 8 Kent Cherrington (Plymouth State University): 25-year Award
Thr. 10 Justin Doherty (University of Wisconsin): Arch Ward Award
Tue. 15 Rob Knox (Kutztown University): Rising Star Award (College Division)
Thr. 17 Jim Daves (University of Virginia): 25-Year Award
Tue. 22 Diane Nordstrom (University of Wisconsin): 25-Year Award
Thr. 24 Chevonne Mansfield (SWAC): Rising Star Award (University Division)
Tue. 29 Dr. Bill Smith (University of Arkansas): Bob Kenworthy Community Service Award
Thr. 31 Kevin Ruple (Baldwin-Wallace College): Lester Jordan Award
April
Tue. 5 Rich Herman (Clarion) - CoSIDA Hall of Fame & Warren Berg Award
Thr. 7 Paul Madison (Western Washington)- CoSIDA Hall of Fame
other profiles in the schedule to be announced; schedule subject to change
written by Jeri Thorpe, University of Arkansas
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – It is difficult to imagine the number of hours that Dr. Bill Smith logs in his job as the University of Arkansas’ Director of New Media for the Razorback Athletics Department.
Smith spends countless hours blogging, filming, commentating and handling the social media responsibilities for 19 teams and the department but still finds time to assist Washington County residents when dangerous weather conditions arise.
Smith has volunteered for the Washington County Department of Emergency Management for more than a decade assisting with county weather emergency communications. In addition, Smith is the volunteer Public Information Officer for DEM with Advanced P10 certification from FEMA.
For these efforts, Smith has been named the Bob Kenworthy Community Service Award winner by the College of Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). He will be honored at the CoSIDA Awards Luncheon on Tuesday, June 28, at the Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort in Marco Island, Fla., at the organization’s annual convention.
The Bob Kenworthy Community Service Award is presented annually to a member for civic involvement and accomplishments outside of the sports information office. Kenworthy served as SID at Gettysburg College and was the first recipient of the award. He is a CoSIDA Hall of Famer.
"Bill has helped as the district emergency coordinator on amateur radio services countless times as a volunteer," said John Luther, Director of 911, Fire Services and Search and Rescue. "Any time there is a severe weather warning, Bill has activated the storm spotter severe weather net coordinating a network of amateur radio operators to verify weather in their areas. Through this operation, the National Weather Service in Tulsa can match up computer models and data with what is actually taking place in real time. In addition, Bill has assisted our offices in creating press releases during severe weather events and he has provided 24-hour operation during our amateur radio field day. He does wonderful work and is very professional. Bill has invested countless hours behind the scenes. Heis very unselfish and his efforts are appreciated."
Smith has become an integral part of SKYWARN, a long-standing program that fosters close working relationships between local communities and the National Weather Service. The program seeks to provide the public with the best information during periods of hazardous weather. On the local level, he created an managed the W5YM University WeatherNet as Washington County’s contribution to the regional SKYWARN system.
A certified OK-FIRST radar operator, Smith assists the county by training volunteers and coordinating those efforts during threatening weather in the Northwest Arkansas area. He has managed the Tulsa National Weather Services’ annual SKYWARN training for eight years and Smith is the liaison for the county to the Tulsa Weather Forecast Office.
In addition, Smith wrote the policies and procedures for local severe weather operations, and developed a training book for storm spotters.
How significant a role does Smith play? Just read this excerpt from a nomination letter provided by Steven Pilz, Meteorologist in Charge, in Tulsa.
As one of the members of our office said to the group at this year’s training event in Fayetteville, “if we hear a report of severe weather that has come through Bill’s group, we are starting to type out a warning.” That is a testament to the hard work and dedication Bill puts forth.
Pilz went on to document a few examples of Smith’s contributions. Both examples come as Smith’s life as a Razorback crossed paths with his involvement of storm tracking.
The first came during the 2009 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., when a public report of a tornado was received by the media. Smith, who was already working the event as the Razorbacks’ Director of New Media, began a rapid coordination between officials in Fayetteville and meteorologists in Tulsa to help assess that the report from the neighboring country was a hoax. Because of Smith’s local spotters, many unnecessary protective actions were averted for both Washington County and the track meet.
Another example of the importance of Smith’s contributions occurred in 2006 when a powerful storm moved through Northwest Arkansas. Smith coordinated with meteorologists in area and with University of Arkansas officials in suspending a Razorback soccer match against Kentucky due to a threat of lighting.
The information Smith proved, and the resulting decision where proven correct when a person was struck and killed by lightning on a lake nearby the Razorback Soccer Stadium at approximately the same time when his warning to clear the fields was made.
Smith has more than 25 years in the field of media relations and new media. The former Associate Athletic Director of Women’s Communications at Arkansas, Smith has earned 14 Best in the Nation and an additional 37 national and 42 district publications awards from CoSIDA.
Recognition of his skill and success has continued in his role as Director of New Media. He has earned and shared numerous Communicator Awards for video and new media video production.
Smith has long been dedicated to his family. Wife Libby, son Will and daughter Ashley frequent guests at athletic events providing their support to Smith and the Razorbacks.
All-Time Bob Kenworthy Community Service Award Recipients
2010 Tim Kennedy (Gustavus Adolphus College)
2009 Doug Hauschild (Dayton)
2008 Debbie Copp (Oklahoma)
2007 Dave Wohlhueter (Cornell-retired)
2006 Judy Willson (Louisiana-Monroe)
2005 Edward Hill, Jr. (Howard University)
2004 Bob Nygaard (Minnesota-Duluth)
2003 David Sherwood (Wingate)
2002 Becky Paull (Idaho)
2001 Lonza Hardy Jr. (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
2000 Will Keener (Calfornia State Stanislaus)
1999 Jack Grinold (Northeastern)
1998 Bill Hamilton (South Carolina State)
1997 Norman Gough (Mississippi College)
1996 Sheila Stevenson (Rowan College)
1995 Wylie Smith (Northern Arizona)