Fullerton Close to Naming Its New Athletic Director

Cal State Fullerton, which could name an athletic director as soon as today, has completed interviewing a list of five candidates headed by Bill Shumard, an assistant athletic director at USC who lives in Brea and has a history of fund-raising success.

Shumard, 40, has been at USC for three years, and formerly worked for the Dodgers for 13 years. He is a 1972 graduate of Cal State Long Beach.

The final decision as to who will guide the school’s athletic programs through a challenging financial crisis and an uncertain football future rests with University President Milton A. Gordon, who will announce his decision after reviewing the recommendation of a search committee.

With Gordon scheduled to leave on a trip abroad Saturday, an announcement might come as soon as today, although it could be postponed until Monday or even until after Gordon returns.

The school is seeking to hire a replacement for Ed Carroll, who cited job stress in resigning this spring to accept a job as assistant athletic director for financial affairs at UC Irvine.

At least one applicant for the Fullerton job was notified Thursday that he would not be selected. Former Fullerton athletic director Neale Stoner said he received a call from a member of the search committee Thursday saying that the school is “going another direction,” and that he would not be interviewed.

Stoner, athletic director at Fullerton from 1973-79, said he received what he called a “courtesy” phone call from a representative of the school’s search committee Thursday.

“I was surprised, I guess,” said Stoner, who had the support of some longtime associates of the athletic department. Stoner, executive director of the California Raisin Bowl in Fresno, was formerly athletic director at Illinois, but left the school following an investigation into his alleged improper use of gifts and services.