46.3 F
Clarksville
Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeSportsAustin Peay State University names Tim Knavel APSU Athletics Chief Financial Officer

Austin Peay State University names Tim Knavel APSU Athletics Chief Financial Officer

Austin Peay State University Sports - APSU - Governors - Lady GovsClarksville, TN – Tim Knavel, who spent the past eight years as a key member of Ohio University’s fiscal planning, budgeting, and capital project planning joins the Austin Peay State University (APSU) athletics department staff as its Assistant Director of Athletics and Chief Financial Officer, beginning May 1st, 2020.

With three decades of experience in financial accounting and analysis, Knavel takes over the position after the December departure of Zach Gentry, who left Austin Peay State University to pursue other professional opportunities.

Austin Peay State University Athletics Chief Financial Officer Tim Knavel. (APSU Sports Information)
Austin Peay State University Athletics Chief Financial Officer Tim Knavel. (APSU Sports Information)

“I am excited to welcome Tim and his family to Stacheville and Austin Peay State University Athletics,” said APSU Director of Athletics Gerald Harrison.

“He brings three decades of financial management experience at a crucial time for us. I am confident his addition will only make us stronger as we continue building Austin Peay State University athletics into the most complete athletics department in the Ohio Valley Conference,” Harrison stated.

“I want to thank Gerald Harrison, Benji Harmon (Austin Peay Associate Vice President for Finance) and all the staff members who were part of the search committee for this opportunity to become part of the athletics team at Austin Peay State University,” said Knavel. “I was very impressed with the staff, their enthusiasm and energy during each step of the interview process. I’m ready to move to Clarksville and get started. This opportunity and everyone I met has me excited to go from ‘Bleed Green’ to ‘See Red.'”

A Buffalo, New York native, Knavel joined Ohio in 2012 and served as the department’s Associate Athletic Director for Business Operations/Chief Finance and Administrative Officer. During his tenure with the Bobcats, the department never operated at a deficit. Additionally, he worked with the internal audit department to schedule and coordinate annual audits.

Before his time in Athens, Ohio, Knavel spent 13 years (1983-96) with the Marriott Corporation beginning with six years at the Buffalo, New York processing center. He then spent seven years as controller of various client-owned properties, which included College Park, Md. (University of Maryland’s Center for Adult Education); Washington, D.C. (Georgetown University’s Levy Center); Long Island, N.Y. (IBM Corporation’ Employee Facility – Sands Point NY); and Towson, Md. (The Marriott at Towson University).

Knavel left his role with Marriott to become the Athletics Business Manager at Towson in 1996 where he earned a promotion to Assistant Athletic Director for Business Services in 2001 before being elevated to the Tigers Chief Business Officer in 2011. Knavel was part of the capital projects team with renovations to Jonny Unitas Stadium, doubling its capacity, and a major resurfacing of the Doc Minnegan track. He also was part of a team instrumental in hosting the first NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Final Four at an off-campus venue. Maryland hosted the 2013 event’s semifinal and championship at Ravens Stadium in Baltimore.

A 1983 graduate of Niagara, he earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting before obtaining a master’s degree in human resource development from Towson in 2004.

Tim and his wife Lori have three children: Drew, Jeremy and Sierra.

RELATED ARTICLES

Latest Articles