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This feature is one of the many profiles we are doing to showcase our diverse CoSIDA membership during 2017 CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week. To see all the feature stories,
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Charles Bloom: University of South Carolina
Executive Associate AD/Chief of Staff/CCO
by Nathan Yacovissi, University of Dallas Sports Information Manager
CoSIDA Recognition Week Committee member
Charles Bloom has a lengthy and decorated career, serving in high leadership roles that reflect his passion for strategic communications and for promoting student-athletes and coaches.
A 2011 inductee into the CoSIDA Hall of Fame and a former CoSIDA president, Bloom is a proud 1985 graduate of the University of South Carolina. Bloom was involved in the Gamecock SID office both as an undergraduate and graduate assistant.
Bloom and his wife, Cindy, also a USC graduate, are parents of two children - daughter, Lindsey, and son, Max.
After serving at numerous Division I institutions and then the Southeastern Conference (SEC) as its chief communications officer, Bloom returned full circle on October 24, 2012 – to serve at his alma mater. Named Senior Associate Athletics Director of External Affairs upon his return to Columbia, S.C., today he holds the title of Executive Associate Athletics Director/Chief of Staff/COO.
In this role, Bloom serves as the senior advisor to Athletics Director Ray Tanner and as chief communications officer for Gamecock Athletics. Among his duties, Bloom also is sports administrator for softball and oversees media relations, ticket office, Gamecock Productions, and campus SEC Network operations. Finally, Bloom is on the development team for the Gamecock Student-Athlete Promise, a document formalizing the commitments USC athletics make to its student-athletes.
CapAt the ceremonial gavel passing, Bloom receives the
CoSIDA presidential gavel from then-president Doug Dull
at the 2007 CoSIDA San Diego national convention.tion
“My goal was always to make my alma mater proud of my career and my work reflective of the quality of education that I received,” Bloom responded when asked of how it felt working back at South Carolina.
Bloom is quick to point out those who helped him along the way.
“My career success has been in large part because of the superiors that I have reported to. I learned a lot working for people like Dave Hart, Roy Kramer and Mike Slive,” he noted. “Those experiences helped me for my role with Gamecock athletics and for working with Ray Tanner. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the impact of those individuals. They are tremendous leaders – smart, mission-centered, empathetic and passionate about the enterprise of intercollegiate athletics.”
There are few in athletic communications who serve as many volunteer organizations as Bloom.
One of his highest honors was serving as president of CoSIDA from 2007-08. He is a past president and chair of the former CoSIDA Division I management advisory committee; past president of the Alabama Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) chapter; past board member of the Entertainment and Sports Sections of PRSA; and served on the public relations committee of the Football Bowl Association.
Bloom is currently a member of the Football Writers Association of America, the United States Basketball Writers Association, National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (past president), Public Relations Society of America, and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).
“If there is a message I have for young people in our profession, it is that you should take an active role in professional associations and not just be on the sidelines. I have been fortunate enough to take leadership roles in a variety of organizations and provide input on changes within our profession,” Bloom responded when asked about his level of involvement with different associations.
And in these roles, Bloom notes it is an opportunity to affect change.
“I was a past president of NCBWA and worked with the NCAA to develop media hotels at the College World Series,” Bloom noted. “As past president of CoSIDA, along with many others, I worked with NACDA to put our organization in step and as part of the NACDA umbrella.
At the South Carolina football stadium on game day.
“As an ex-officio board member of FWAA, I provided input to their board on media relations issues and represented the interests of CoSIDA. I am a past president of the Alabama chapter of PRSA and a current board member of the South Carolina PRSA chapter. My main goals with PRSA is protect the brand of our profession and to provide opportunities to students for professional success,” Bloom elaborated.
Bloom is quick to note how appreciative he was to be inducted into the CoSIDA Hall of Fame.
“Being inducted into the CoSIDA Hall of Fame put validation on my career and my contributions to intercollegiate athletics and media relations,” he explained. “My induction put me in great company when you look at the individuals who have been enshrined into the Hall of Fame.”
Bloom is a big believer in the importance of the strategic role that college athletic communicators play.
“We are protecting our brand, student-athletes, coaches, and staff. The college sports media relations staffs provide a tremendous building block for administrative success. We also work with various internal and external units,” Bloom reflected. “Other than sports medicine and academic support, what other areas work with the student-athletes, team and coaches the most?”
Bloom has great familiarity with the Southeastern Conference, having spent 17 years as the director of the SEC’s Conference office’s media and public relations efforts. Bloom supervised the media and public relations operations for the SEC’s 21 sports, directly overseeing football, and was the chief administrator for baseball in the SEC office, setting up conference schedules, serving as liaison for the league’s coaches and umpires and overseeing game operations with the conference tournament.
When asked if his previous experience in the conference provides familiarity in current role, Bloom responded that “It helps somewhat, but during time away from a previous job, changes occur such as staffing, policies, issues and priorities. I have an in-depth knowledge of the culture and history of the league and can fill in some gaps when those discussions occur in our athletics department. The relationships that I was able to build in the league office also helps me at South Carolina and that may be my biggest asset to our department.”
A native of Emporia, Virginia, he went to the SEC from East Carolina University where he served as and assistant AD and sports information director from 1988-95. Prior to joining the ECU staff, he was an associate SID at Ole Miss (1987-88) and an assistant SID at LSU (1985-87).
As mentioned, Bloom began in this industry by working in the undergraduate office at South Carolina, and was also a student assistant in the SID office as an undergraduate at UNLV. He is grateful for the early opportunities he gained in the early stages of his career.
“I was very fortunate in those years to lead media relations efforts in a variety of Olympic sports, Bloom reflected. “In the SEC (and maybe other power conferences), full-time staff now lead those efforts. I learned a lot from people like Tom Price, Jamie Kimbrough, Sid Wilson (all at USC) and Bill Bennett at UNLV. I also was able to learn a lot helping out on the revenue sports as well.”
Bloom shared a couple of special memories he has had while at South Carolina.
“I have so many great memories at South Carolina. As a student, the greatest memory was the 1984 football season when the team went 9-0 and got to No. 2 in the national rankings. As an administrator, it is the daily working with our student-athletes to achieve success as well as telling their stories and advocating for the Gamecocks and intercollegiate athletics that inspires me,” Bloom noted. “I also am active in our School of Journalism and Mass Communications and enjoy making an impact there and with their students. I never turn down a meeting with a student.”
For others seeking interest in working in this field, Bloom offers the following advice.
“Take advantage of the opportunities given to you, make continued contributions to the athletic team (athletic squads and athletic staff),” Bloom concluded. “Be a master communicator, write, speak eloquently, and be able to communicate your contributions.
“It’s important to be an active listener and to be open to continually learn and improve. Recognize the effort of others who have helped you along the way, and make your parents, family, friends and bosses proud of you.”