Bjork Tabs Park as Deputy AD for External Relations & Business Development – Texas A&M

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Veteran athletics administrator and graduate of Texas A&M’s renowned Mays Business School Chris Park has been named Deputy Athletics Director for External Relations and Business Development, Texas A&M Director of Athletics Ross Bjork announced.
 
“Chris is a high-energy and strategic leader with a proven record of external relations success everywhere he has been,” Bjork said. “We feel very fortunate to be able to bring someone with his expertise and leadership experience to join our team as we continue our mission of creating opportunities through championship athletics. It’s an added bonus that he’s a Texas A&M graduate, and we are extremely excited to welcome Chris and his family back to Aggieland!”
 
Park, who earned undergraduate and master’s degrees from Texas A&M, returns to Aggieland following a four-year tenure in a similar capacity at Washington State, and he has also served in leadership roles at UTEP, Texas State and Sam Houston State.
 
“The Park family is thrilled to return home to Aggieland, a place that is uniquely special to me both personally and professionally,” Park said. “I want to thank Ross Bjork for entrusting me to lead our external team in building on our successes and in continuing to deliver a first-class experience for our student athletes, coaches and the 12th Man.”
 
Park was hired as Washington State’s Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Relations in 2018 and promoted to Deputy AD for External Relations in July 2020. His duties included oversight of athletics communications, marketing, ticketing, creative services and video operations, while also serving as the sport administrator for baseball and Learfield Sports Properties liaison.
 
Under his direction, the Cougars external units excelled with an expanded social media presence, hosted noteworthy events such as hosting ESPN’s College Gameday and the Klay Thompson and George Raveling jersey retirement ceremonies. Park worked to secure an $11 million field naming rights agreement with Gesa Credit Union in March 2021, resulting in Gesa Field at Martin Stadium.

Park worked diligently to brand Cougar Athletics, resulting in improved ticket sales revenue for football, and men’s and women’s basketball. His guidance helped WSU receive the gold honor for the category of “Single Game Sales Campaign” from the 2020 NACMA Best of Awards. Park was co-chair of the Revenue Optimization committee within WSU Athletics’ UNLEASHED strategic plan.
 
In his role as sport administrator, Park was chair of the committee that hired a new baseball coach
in 2019, and he worked closely with internal and external groups on the $10 million, privately-funded Project: BTO (Back to Omaha), which led to the construction of the state-of-the-art Cougar Baseball Complex.
 
Prior to his time at WSU, Park spent six years (2012-18) as the Senior Associate AD for External Operations and Development at UTEP, where he oversaw external operations, including ticketing, marketing and video production and graphic design, and was the liaison with UTEP’s multimedia rights holder.  He was heavily involved in athletic fundraising and served on the athletics senior staff and as the sport administrator for football and men’s golf. 
 
Park was the Co-Chair for the 2014 Conference USA Men’s & Women’s Basketball Tournament and in 2015-16 chaired the university and city-wide committee tasked with commemorating the 50th anniversary of UTEP’s 1966 NCAA Championship. During the spring of 2018, Park was credited for his leadership and assistance in raising over $10 million toward the planned $15 million renovation of the Sun Bowl.

Prior to UTEP, Park spent six years (2006-12) at Texas State as the Assistant AD for Development where he oversaw the Bobcat Club and served as a major gift fundraiser. He played a vital role in the school’s transition from Division I FCS to FBS.

Park joined the Texas State staff after more than two years at Sam Houston State, where he was the Bearkats’ first athletic development and marketing coordinator from January 2004 to July 2005 before spending August 2005 through July 2006 as the school’s external operations coordinator.

As a graduate student at Texas A&M, Park became a valuable member of Athletics with roles in the marketing and athletics communications offices. He assisted in the creation of the successful 12th Man Team Rewards fan loyalty program, where he managed the initiative’s budget and directed the program’s marketing efforts.

Park graduated magna cum laude from Texas A&M’s Mays Business School with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 2002, and he earned a master’s degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in sports management from Texas A&M’s College of Education and Human Development in 2004. He is married to the former Anna Johnston (Texas A&M Class of 2001 and 2003) and the couple has a son, Matthew.