This profile on 2011 CoSIDA double award winner Rich Herman, Clarion University Sports Information Director, is the 10th in a series of profiles and features on CoSIDA's 2011 Special Awards recipients. Herman will receive two special honors at the 2011 CoSIDA Convention with his induction into the CoSIDA Hall of Fame and as recipient of the Warren Berg Award for outstanding work, leadership and commitment to the profession and CoSIDA organization.
See link to original release and the March/April schedule of the Special Award 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
Tue. 12 Charles Bloom (Southeastern Conference): CoSIDA Hall of Fame
Thr. 14 Thomas Nelson (St. Cloud State University): 25-Year Award
Thr. 21 Mark Beckenbach (Ohio Northern): CoSIDA Hall of Fame
Tue. 26 Brian DePasquale (University of Albany): 25-Year Award
Thr. 28 Debby Jennings (University of Tennessee): Trailblazer Award
May
Tue. 3 Walt Riddle (Saint Leo University): Lifetime Achievement Award; and 25-Year Award
Fri. 6 Tom Kroeschell (Iowa State): 25-Year Award
Tue. 10 Mike Moran (USOC); Lifetime Achievement Award
Thr. 12 Joe Seil (Nazareth): 25-Year Award
Tue. 17 A. John Pearson (Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference): Lifetime Achievement Award
Thr. 19 David Moross (Colorado College): 25-Year Award
Tue. 24 Dan McDonald (Northwestern State [La.] and Southwestern Louisiana: CoSIDA Hall of Fame
Thr. 26 Dave Beyer (Mercer University): 25-Year Award
Tue. 31 Lee Corso (ABC/ESPN Sports): Jade Wade Award
other profiles in the schedule to be announced; schedule subject to change
CLARION, Pa. – For the past 31 years, Rich Herman has sat proudly atop the perch in the Clarion University of Pennsylvania (nickname: Golden Eagles) sports information office.
In February 2011, though, he was knocked off that perch, but only temporarily and figuratively. Hearing he had been selected as one of the 2011 inductees into the CoSIDA Hall of Fame was simply too much for him to comprehend. The usually verbose Herman was in a rare position, at a loss for words.
Herman’s qualifications for the Hall of Fame are, to borrow an overused cliché, truly a case where actions speak louder than words. His effort on behalf of CoSIDA and Division II SIDs in particular made him a virtual lock, a “no-brainer” if you will, as a new member of his profession’s Hall of Fame.
And, fittingly, in the same year his peers voted him in their Hall of Fame, they also voted him the top athletics media professional of the year (for the college division) by naming him the Warren Berg Award winner. This award is presented annually to a college-division member who has made outstanding contributions to the field of college sports information and who, by his or her activities, has brought dignity and prestige to the profession.
The fourth Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference SID to earn the distinction of being a CoSIDA Hall of Famer, Herman will join former conference mentors and close personal friends Paul Newman of Edinboro (2000), John Carpenter (Slippery Rock, 1989) and East Stroudsburg’s Pete Nevins (1987) in the elite group when he is inducted Tuesday, June 28, at the 2011 CoSIDA Convention in Marco Island, Fla.
Herman’s qualifications for the Hall of Fame are extensive.
In his role as Clarion’s athletic communication professional, Herman has earned 19 citations from CoSIDA for award-winning publications. He has also served as a Vice-Chairman of CoSIDA’s Publications Contest Committee since 1990.
A top promoter of student athletes, Herman has promoted 85 football All-America performers alone in the last 27-years. Herman received the NCAA Division I Wrestling "SID Of The Year" award from the National Wrestling Media Association in 1999.
Herman is currently serving his second year as president of D-II SIDA after serving three years as the organization’s first vice president. Under his leadership, D-II SIDA has secured an unprecedented strong connection with the NCAA office and in particular NCAA D-II president Mike Racy.
Eric McDowell of Union College (NY), the Chair of the College Division Management Advisory Committee, nominated Herman for the Warren Berg Award.
“This is a most fitting time for Rich to be selected, both to the Hall of Fame and for the Warren Berg Award,” said McDowell. “He is completing his term as the President of the NCAA Division II SID Association, and I have seen first hand the remarkable job that he has done in his term. He has developed professional relationships with Mike Racy (the NCAA Vice President for Division II), and other NCAA leaders and officials, to assist the organization in everything from branding to score reporting. His attendance at the NCAA conventions has featured scheduled appearances at conference commissioner meetings as well as private sessions to enhance his colleagues. His efforts helped lead Mike to provide support for the expansion of CoSIDA’s Academic All-America program. I knew what Rich has meant to Clarion, and I appreciate the administration at Clarion for supporting him for his endeavors during his term as president for Division II SIDs. I also appreciate him for his long-time friendship, respect and dedication to all of us in CoSIDA.”
Racy was asked by McDowell to provide a letter of support for Herman’s nomination for the Berg Award. He took time out from his hectic schedule to provide the letter that very same week.
“In the past 12 months, Rich has provided guidance and support to the Division II governance staff as we developed a Division II strategic communications toolkit,” commented Racy. “Rich is currently actively involved in the development of a communications toolkit, phase two. Additionally, the development and implementation of the Division II Academic All-American program could not have been possible without Rich’s guidance. Rich’s leadership skills are unsurpassed. He has a style that encompasses the entire group that he is dealing with. He manages each situation and issue with a calm assurance that lets each and every person know that he can handle anything that may arise. He does so with humility and grace that few others possess.”
Prior to serving as the national head of D-II SIDs, Herman was the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference’s football SID from 1985-93 and vice president of the conference’s SID group from 1988-92.
Herman was also a charter member of the Clarion University Sports Hall of Fame in 1989, has served on the hall’s selection committee for the last 23 years and as the committee chair on two occasions (1994-97, 2003-10)
Away from the office, Herman was elected to two, four-year terms on Clarion Borough Council (2001-2009), served as chair of Public Safety committee and as a member of both the borough’s recreation committee and civil service commission (1996-2001). He gave official testimony to the Pennsylvania House Committee on Government in reference to borough non-taxable properties in 2008.
A native of Ellwood City, Pa., Herman was a three-sport (baseball, golf and basketball) athlete and all-star catcher (can you imagine trying to get to home plate when he’s blocking it!) at Lincoln High School.
Herman went on to earn four letters as a catcher on the Point Park College baseball team that won
three NAIA district titles and placed fourth at the 1974 NAIA College Baseball World Series in 1974.
A Dean's list student, he graduated in 1976 with a B.A. Degree in Journalism & Communications.
From 1976-80 Herman worked in Radio, Public Relations and was the Assistant SID at Edinboro prior to coming to Clarion in August of 1980.
Clarion's head baseball coach for 11 seasons (1989-99) after serving as an assistant coach from 1980-87, Herman led the Eagles to numerous NCAA individual honors and NCAA, PSAC and school records. He also served on the NCAA D-II East Region Baseball Committee from 1993-95.
Rich and wife Paula reside in Clarion, Pa.