Nick Vista, who enjoyed a long successful career at Michigan State, was inducted into the CoSIDA Hall of Fame in 1975 and served as president of the organization during the 1981-82 school year. He was awarded the Arch Award in 1985 and the Lester Jordan Award in 1995 by CoSIDA.
Information courtesy of Mike Pearson and Michigan State Athletics
Former Longtime Sports Information Director Nick Vista Passes Away
Nicholas “Nick” Vista, a legendary publicist at Michigan State University for nearly four decades, died Sunday, Feb. 12, in Atlanta at the age of 90.
He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Athens/Oconee, Ga., native Connie Ward Stewart, step-daughter Sheri Mann Stewart, husband Barry Stewart Mann, grandsons Tendal and Royce Mann of Atlanta, and nieces and nephews of the Tieche family of California: Richard, Mary Anne, Jack, Anna, Natalie, Mary, Paul, Sam and Henry.
Born April 9, 1926, he was preceded in death by his Macedonian-born immigrant parents (Polytima Kapiliathis and Louis), his sister (Diana) and his brother (Louis).
Following service in the U.S. Navy after the conclusion of World War, Nick attended MSU with the intentions of seeking a career related to collegiate sports. He began his career at the State News and the MSU Wolverine Yearbook, then met his future mentor, Fred Stabley Sr., in 1951. Following a two-year stint as a student assistant, he became a staff writer for United Press. Nick returned to MSU three months later in September of 1954 as assistant news editor for the News Bureau. In July of 1955, Stabley hired Nick as his fulltime assistant in MSU’s sports information office. The two men teamed for 25 years until Stabley’s retirement in 1980. Nick became his successor and served as Sports Information Director until his retirement in 1988.
In 1980, Nick met Connie (the love of his life besides the Spartans), when she became the first female Vice-President in the Big Ten and his boss (restructured soon after). Married in 1982, the couple enjoyed busy social and professional lives in Lansing until moving to Atlanta for Connie to take positions with Emory University and The Carter Presidential Center. They also continued Nick’s pattern of world travel.
Among the host of iconic Spartan coaches and athletes Nick promoted were Biggie Munn, Duffy Daugherty, Jud Heathcote, Amo Bessone, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Bubba Smith, Earl Morrall, Ernestine Russell-Weaver, Johnny Green, Lorenzo White, Morten Andersen, Deanne Moore, Steve Garvey, Bonnie Lauer, and Kirk Gibson. In 1986, his efforts yielded Spartan first-team All-America athletes in each of MSU’s three major sports, football (Lorenzo White), basketball (Scott Skiles) and hockey (Mike Donnelly), the first time that had happened at any university.
After moving to Atlanta, Nick served as media liaison of the Peach Bowl for many years and for the 1996 Olympic Games, helping to host the press corps from nearly 200 nations.
Nick was a longtime member of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and served as its president during the 1981-82 school year. He was inducted into CoSIDA’s Hall of Fame in 1975 and, in 1985, was the recipient of the organization’s top prize, the Arch Ward Award.
He is a member of the Battle Creek Central High School Hall of Fame.
A small graveside service will be held this Saturday, Feb. 18, in Athens, Ga., with a larger Celebration of Life being planned for the spring in Atlanta.