Marketing Professor Darin White has been named faculty athletics representative, Samford University announced Aug. 1.
White serves as chair of entrepreneurship, management and marketing in Samford’s Brock School of Business. He was named the school’s Faculty Member of the Year for Undergraduate Teaching in 2012 and was named Outstanding Scholar in 2011. He also received a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Certificate of Recognition.
“Dr. White is a respected and valuable faculty member of our prestigious Brock School of Business, and we are excited to have him serve as our faculty athletics representative,” said Director of Athletics Martin Newton. “He brings a wealth of knowledge from both academia and athletics as he is the founder and coordinator of our sports marketing program, and a former successful collegiate soccer coach. His understanding of the student-athlete experience, as well as his passion for all students at Samford, make him a wonderful choice as our representative. I look forward to working closely with him as we move in to a new and challenging time in college athletics.”
White will serve general purposes of enhancing academic integrity, ensuring institutional control of the athletics program and promoting student-athlete welfare. He will work closely with the president, faculty, students, athletics director and other athletics department personnel to support a campus environment in which the athletics program is a vital component of the educational program, and in which student-athletes constitute an integral part of the student body.
“I am excited about serving as Samford’s faculty athletics representative,” White said. “My decade of experience as a men’s college soccer coach, my strong working relationship with Samford athletics through the sports marketing program and my commitment to academic excellence combine in what I see as an exciting opportunity. We want our student-athletes to excel in the classroom and in competition.”
White was named Men’s College Coach of the Year by Adidas and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America for the NAIA south region following the 2005 season at Union University. Two years earlier, he led his team to an NCCAA national championship.
Considered a leading authority on sports marketing, White serves on the editorial review board for three journals: Sport, Business and Management; International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship; and Journal of Business Ethics. He has written more than 50 articles and conference papers on a variety of marketing topics in publications such as the Journal of Business Research, Journal of Business Ethics, European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Services Marketing, Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management, Journal of Strategic Marketing and others. He has been an American Marketing Association Consortium Fellow.
White has worked with numerous organizations involved in sport, including Major League Soccer, NASCAR, Manchester United, AON, Chelsea, PGA, Fox Soccer Channel, Bruno Event Team, University of Georgia Athletic Department, Georgia Tech Athletic Department, Eurosport, CSE Sports, World Soccer Shop, Indy Car, SportsPlus Superstores, Rush Soccer, Dreamland Holdings, BBVA Compass and Tienda Futbol Mundial.
Along with traveling the world to play and watch games, White has been involved in almost every level of U.S. youth soccer, as a coach, referee and parent. He frequently served his local community by donating his expertise in consultation to local school boards, the Performing Arts Council, and private secondary educational institutions.
He and his wife, Laura, have served the community by teaching parenting classes to young couples and have led the Children’s Heart Foundation Parent Support Group. They live in the Birmingham area with their children.
Joey Mullins is assistant athletics director of communication for Samford’s Department of Athletics.