Pritzker Named Associate Athletics Director for Business Operations
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May 20, 2013
Charlottesville, Va. – Steve Pritzker has been named associate athletics director for business operations and the chief financial officer (CFO) for the University of Virginia athletics department. Virginia Executive Associate Director of Athletics Jon Oliver announced Pritzker’s appointment today.
Pritzker replaces Keith VanDerbeek, who retired in March following 28 years of service at the University.
“Keith VanDerbeek served the Department very well for almost 30 years with his ability to effectively manage our business and IT operations,” Oliver said. “The charge from Craig Littlepage was to find someone who could meet this standard and help us take the next step toward improved fiscal integrity in the ever challenging environment of intercollegiate athletics. Steve will bring a level of knowledge, experience and familiarity with our athletics department that will enhance our opportunity to meet our stated ten-year goals. I want to thank the search committee for understanding the charge and recommending such a quality candidate.”
In addition to supervising the business operations staff and the manager of information systems, Pritzker will serve as the financial adviser to the athletics department staff and coordinate the implementation and management of the department’s operating budget. He will serve as the department’s primary liaison to the University’s audit, budget, financial administration and procurement offices.
“I am extremely honored to return to the UVa community, particularly as the CFO of athletics,” Pritzker said. “Craig Littlepage, Jon Oliver, the business office and the entire department have been fantastic to work with. This position is ideal for me, as it combines my passion for athletics with my business background. I look forward to working with the many great people at Virginia to support the department’s goals and win national championships year in and year out.”
Pritzker is well known within the Virginia athletics department. He spent nine years as a member of the coaching staff for its highly successful rowing program from 2004 to 2012. After volunteering with the rowing team during the 2004 season, while earning his master’s degree in business administration, Pritzker assumed full-time coaching responsibilities in the fall of 2004. In 2007 he was promoted to associate head coach.
While at Virginia, Pritzker helped guide the Cavaliers to NCAA team championships in 2010 and 2012, along with runner-up finishes in 2005 and 2007. Virginia won eight ACC titles in his nine seasons.
Pritzker was named the head rowing coach at Iowa in July of 2012. His team participated in the Big Ten Championships on Sunday, May 19. He will assume his position at Virginia starting May 29.
Pritzker was directly responsible for coaching Varsity 4 boats that won NCAA titles in 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2010. His boats also won multiple gold and silver medals at the ACC, South/Central Regional and NCAA championships during his tenure.
Pritzker is the only coach in NCAA Division I history to earn the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association’s National Assistant Coach of the Year award twice, taking home the honor in 2007 and 2010. He was also named the South/Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year in 2007.
While working with the Cavaliers’ rowing program, Pritzker also worked with Oliver on finance and budgeting matters, including forecasting and achieving financial efficiencies. He worked directly with different units within the athletics department on budget management. He also developed risk analyses for long-term budget planning.
Pritzker’s business background includes a two-year stint with Credit Suisse First Boston in New York City as a sales analyst where he conducted research and financial analysis for major institutional clients. He also worked for two years for Kingdon Capital Management as an associate. He developed proprietary valuation models to evaluate investments and advised portfolio managers.
A native of Alexandria, Va., Pritzker graduated from Yale in 1999 and received his master’s degree from UVa’s Darden Graduate School of Business in 2005. He was selected as a Schwartz Research Fellow at Yale, while earning four varsity letters as a coxswain on the rowing team.
While a graduate student, Pritzker was selected as a resident for the Range in the historical Academical Village at UVa on the basis of his academic achievement and service to the University.