Director of Athletics Gary Barta

Gary Barta is beginning his second year as the Athletic Director at The University of Iowa. He became the University's 11th Director of Intercollegiate Athletics on August 1, 2006. He succeeded Robert Bowlsby, who left after 15 years at Iowa to take over the program at Stanford.

A native Midwesterner, Barta signed a five-year contract to lead one of the most successful athletic programs in the nation. His wife Connie is a native of Waterloo, Iowa. The two met while Barta was an Assistant Athletic Director at Northern Iowa.

Barta has already put his stamp on Hawkeye Athletics during his first year in Iowa City. He oversaw the final stages of the $86 million renovation at Kinnick Stadium and the new Paul W. Brechler Press Box. He officially opened Iowa's new Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Center. In the spring of 2007 he hired new Head Men's Basketball Coach Todd Lickliter from Butler University. Lickliter's hiring came on the heels of his team's Sweet 16 appearance and his being named the NABC Division I Coach of the Year. Basketball experts from around the country are touting this as an outstanding hire.

Several other initiatives were set in motion during Barta's first year. An Athletic Department Strategic Plan has been launched mapping out the vision and goals for the future. Plans are underway to build a new $6.1 million boathouse for the rowing program. Construction begins this fall on a new Campus Wellness and Recreation Center which includes a first-class aquatic center. It will serve as the new home to the Hawkeye men and women's swimming teams. Carver-Hawkeye Arena is in the early planning stage of a $30-$40 million renovation that will add a practice facility, improve the fan experience, and renovate and add office space. In addition to facilities, the Strategic Plan lays out goals for academic achievement, championship success, fiscal growth, and overall student-athlete, coach, and staff performance.

Barta has over 20 years of university and athletic administration experience. Before taking over at Iowa he had been the Wyoming Athletic Director since October of 2003. From November 1996 to October 2003, he was Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Relations and Sports Programs at the University of Washington in Seattle. From 1990 to 1996, he was associated with the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, where he was the Director of Athletic Development and External Relations. He also served as Associate Director of Development at North Dakota State University in Fargo, from 1988-90, where he was involved in fund-raising for athletics, the colleges of business and engineering, and the University's annual fund.

Wyoming received the NCAA Division IA Program of Excellence Award in 2006 during Barta's tenure there, which honors athletic programs that are superior athletically, academically, and in student-athlete life skills preparation.

The Barta led program at Wyoming was credited with a number of significant accomplishments. The Cowboys played in the 2004 Las Vegas Bowl and posted a victory over UCLA. The women's basketball team won 21 games during the 2005-06 season, a top 20 placing by the women's track team at the NCAA meet in 2005, and a top 25 finish in men's NCAA swimming in 2004. During his three-year tenure, seven Wyoming coaches won Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year awards.

Barta has been a successful fund-raiser throughout his career, having helped secure more than $150 million in private contributions and corporate sponsorships over the past 10 years. In less than two years, he helped Wyoming raise more than $22 million, including $11 million in private contributions and $11 million in matching state funds. He was directly involved in major fund raising programs at Washington, including a $100 million plan for facility renovations.

Prior to taking over at Wyoming, he served as Washington's Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Relations and Sports Programs.

He was responsible for generating revenue to fund Washington's $40 million annual intercollegiate athletics budget. While at Washington, Barta was directly involved in a variety of duties including: hiring of coaches and administrative staff, coordinating the schedule for men's basketball, initiating and managing sponsor relationships, and negotiating radio network contracts.

Upon his arrival at Washington, he directed their "Campaign for the Student-Athlete" which was highly successful. Barta was a central participant in the design and construction of many facilities at the Seattle campus, including the $44 million renovation of the Bank of America Arena and a $30 million renovation of the Dempsey Indoor Practice Facility. During his tenure, annual private support increased from $6.9 million per year to $15.8 million.

Barta earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communication and Broadcast Journalism from North Dakota State University in 1987. He was an option quarterback for Bison football squads that won the Division II NCAA National Championship in 1983, 1985, and 1986. He returned to NDSU to begin his career in 1988 as an Associate Director of Development and later became the Director of Development.

While at his alma mater, Barta assisted in the completion of a $15 million capital campaign, and served on a task force that helped raise funds for the 20,000-seat Fargo Dome on campus. He remained there through 1990. During that same time he was a sportscaster for WDAY radio/television in Fargo, ND.

He served as Director of Athletic Development and External Relations at the University of Northern Iowa (1990-96). There he managed all fund raising, marketing and promotions, and media relations activities for the school's 17-sport program.

Barta, and his wife, Connie, have a son, Luke (9) and a daughter, Madison (7). He was born September 4, 1963, in Minneapolis, MN.