Volume 59, Issue 5  - September 18, 2006

Zamora tapped for Athletics post
By Arath Lopez
Spanish Editor

Ronnie Zamora

To Ronnie Zamora, UTB/TSC’s new director of Sports Information, Athletics Development and Marketing, it was time to go back to what he always enjoyed doing.

“I started my career doing sports,” said Zamora, former director of the Publications Department. “Maybe it is the time to go back into what I once started doing. And I enjoy doing it.”

On Sept. 1, he became part of the Athletics Department.          

In his new position Zamora will be “taking care of writing stories, designing any kind of publications, assisting the news media and giving them all the information they need about the institution’s athletic program,” he said.

Zamora’s challenge will not only be “promoting athletics on campus,” but also attracting local businesses to support the programs.

“One challenge is getting the community companies, businesses to buy into our athletic program,” he said, “that we are for real, that we are here. [UTB/TSC President Juliet V. García] has made a commitment to expand our athletic program and I’m glad to be part of it.”

Zamora graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin in 1978. He earned a master’s in educational technology from UTB/TSC in 2004. He joined Texas Southmost College in 1990 as director of public information. In 1992, he became the university’s director of publications.

From 1972 to 1975, Zamora was sports editor of the Brownsville Herald while a full-time student at Texas Southmost College. In 1977, he became sports editor at the Daily Texan, the student newspaper at UT-Austin. He later was a sports writer for the Valley Morning Star and the San Antonio Light. He also has worked as radio sports broadcaster for UTB/TSC, the University of Texas-Pan American and the Brownsville School District. He is also a member of the board of directors of the Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame.

Asked how many candidates were considered for the new athletics position, Ruth Ann Ragland, vice president for Institutional Advancement, replied that only Zamora was considered.

“Ronnie Zamora has tremendous experience and knowledge in all aspects of sports information, marketing and development and there was no need to look elsewhere,” Ragland said. “How fortunate we are that we had just the talent required for this position right here on our own campus.”

Daniel Huntley, director of Intercollegiate Athletics, said Zamora has been an athletics supporter and has important sport connections in the area.

“He is an important backer of athletics, he just cares about athletics,” Huntley said. “Having those connections and that love for sports and that commitment to athletics, there was nobody better for this position.”

Zamora will be paid $66,237 annually.