Jamie Zaninovich Position: Commissioner Twitter: @WCC_Commish

Jamie Zaninovich was named just the second full time Commissioner of the West Coast Conference on March 9, 2008. During his tenure at the West Coast Conference, Zaninovich has led the WCC to unprecedented growth in the areas of television and championships while also expanding the conference membership for the first time in three decades.

The last two years under Zaniniovich's leadership have seen the creation of a new WCC Governance Structure and the restructuring of the WCC Executive Council to include greater involvement from all eight conference Presidents and Faculty Athletic Representatives. Zaninovich authored a five-year strategic plan (2010-14) focused on three high-level strategic goals for the WCC - competitiveness, exposure and leadership - which includes implementation of men's basketball non-conference scheduling and performance strategies, a conference-wide video streaming enhancement program, approval of a Sportsmanship Initiative and continued commitment to activation of the WCC voice within the NCAA governance structure.

Zaninovich also spearheaded the first conference membership change in nearly 30 years when Brigham Young University accepted an invitation to join the West Coast Conference on August 31, 2010. BYU will begin competition in 11 WCC sports beginning with the 2011-12 school year, and is the first institution to join the West Coast Conference since Gonzaga University and the University of San Diego joined the membership for the 1979-80 school year. In addition, the WCC added affiliate members in women's rowing (Creighton University) and women's golf (Seattle University) for 2009-10 to mark the conference's first affiliate membership since 1990-91.

The conference has also seen growth in the area of championships through a successful transition for the Zappos.com WCC Basketball Championships to the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. The event has set tournament records for revenue, total attendance and single game attendance, and will remain at the Orleans through 2012 after Zaninovich negotiated a three-year extension with the facility. Zaninovich was also instrumental in creating two successful off the floor events in Las Vegas --- the WCC Hall of Honor and the Zappos.com/WCC Shoe Drive. After the 2009 event concluded, Zaninovich negotiated a three-year contract extension to keep the WCC Basketball Championships at the Orleans Arena through 2011-12 and also worked with IMG College to secure Zappos.com as the event's title sponsor through 2012.

Zaninovich, who was named one of the prestigious "40 Under 40" honorees by the Sports Business Journal in 2010 as one of the top young professionals in the sports industry, has also brought forward television advances that have showcased the conference's brand regionally and internationally. The last two seasons, the WCC has entered a formal men's basketball television partnership with Cox San Diego, Comcast California and Comcast Northwest that spans Northern California, Southern California and the Pacific Northwest while also creating a WCCTV student media initiative which has led to increased original content on wccsports.com. The conference has also expanded its footprint globally with over 40 games televised to ESPN affiliates in Australia, Europe, Latin America and South America over the past two seasons.

The last two years have seen the creation of a new WCC Governance Structure and the restructuring of the WCC Executive Council to include greater involvement from all eight conference Presidents and Faculty Athletic Representatives. Zaninovich authored a five-year strategic plan (2010-14) focused on three high-level strategic goals for the WCC - competitiveness, exposure and leadership - which includes implementation of men's basketball non-conference scheduling and performance strategies, a conference-wide video streaming enhancement program, approval of a Sportsmanship Initiative and continued commitment to activation of the WCC voice within the NCAA governance structure.

On the External Relations side, Zaninovich negotiated a long-term sponsorship rights agreement with IMG College and oversaw the creation of new media initiatives that were highlighted by unprecedented internet, radio and television coverage of the conference basketball championships.

Zaninovich, who is the current chair of the Division I Collegiate Commissioners Association Division I Subdivision and a former member of the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics, also helped create a partnership with the Pacific-10 and Big West conferences on men's and women's basketball officiating training and evaluation programs with the addition of Dave Libbey and Violet Palmer as the conference's coordinators of basketball officials. Zaninovich is also a founding member of the Board of Managers of the recently formed Men's College Basketball Officiating (MCBO), L.L.C.

Prior to coming to the West Coast Conference, Zaninovich was the Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Relations at Princeton University and was responsible for all revenue-generating and external relations activities for the university's 38-team varsity athletic department. He managed an 11-person staff in the offices of Athletic Relations, Marketing and Athletic Communications, which worked together to build the profile of Princeton athletics both locally and nationally. As a member of the senior staff in the Princeton athletic department, Zaninovich assisted with policy issues and coaching searches.

Among his most notable accomplishments at Princeton was negotiating a national television agreement with ESPN, the only such agreement in the Ivy League. He also created a prevalent brand identity for Princeton Athletics and negotiated the first and largest all-school apparel and equipment agreement in the Ivy League. While at Princeton, Zaninovich oversaw a Development operation, which generated nearly $3 million in annual giving. He also supervised a corporate sponsorship program, which generated nearly a million dollars annually in discretionary income and trade value for Princeton's athletic department.

Prior to Princeton, Zaninovich spent two years as Senior Assistant Athletic Director for Strategic Planning and Men's Basketball Operations at Stanford after earning his MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 2001. While serving as the sport administrator for Stanford's men's basketball program, the Cardinal consistently ranked in the top 25 in the national polls and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in both 2002 and 2003. Zaninovich formulated plans for marketing, fundraising and community relations programs, while managing media rights and ensuring compliance. He was also a key member responsible for the planning of a $30 million renovation of Maples Pavilion, the home of Stanford's basketball and volleyball programs.

Zaninovich began his career in athletic administration at his alma mater, Stanford University, playing an integral role in the school's national ascent in men's basketball as a strategist for all aspects of the program. From 1996-1999, he served as Stanford's Marketing and Operations Director for Men's Basketball. His efforts in that position saw significant annual increases in fundraising, season ticket sales and overall ticket revenue. During his time as the Marketing and Operations Director for Men's Basketball, the Cardinal enjoyed tremendous success, advancing to the Sweet Sixteen in 1997, before earning the school's second-ever Final Four appearance in 1998.

Zaninovich's rapid ascent through Stanford's administration came after earning his bachelor's degree in political science and communications in 1993. After spending two years working as a producer for Sports Byline USA, a nationally syndicated sports radio network, Zaninovich spent one year as a financial analyst before returning to Stanford.

A native of Eugene, Ore., Zaninovich also worked in marketing and business development for Quokkasports/NBCOlympics.com, helping produce the official website of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia and formulating online and offline marketing initiatives for the event.

Zaninovich, his wife Karen, and sons Max (4) and Lucas (2), reside in Millbrae, Calif.