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Ross Bjork begins his fifth year as the Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Relations at UCLA. Bjork directs Capital fund-raising, The John Wooden Athletic Fund, Bruin Varsity Club, Major Gifts, Marketing, Promotions, Ticket Sales, Branding, Licensing, Merchandising, Corporate Sponsorships, ISP Sports, Radio Rights, Television Rights, Web Site, and other sources of revenue generation. He is involved in all strategic initiatives and major decisions for Bruin Athletics. Total giving to Athletics doubled in his first year and season tickets sales for football and men's basketball increased to record totals for 2007-08 and 2008-09. In 2008-09, his team raised a record $25.4 million in total gifts for athletics. He directed the creation of the John Wooden Athletic Fund and established the Campaign of Champions Capital Campaign to raise the funds to renovate legendary Pauley Pavilion. His team also launched the branding initiative, Champions Made Here, to serve as the department theme for UCLA Athletics. Bjork serves on the senior staff and works directly with the Track & Field program as sport supervisor and deals with all coaches and athletic staff in major initiatives to benefit athletics. He also serves as the day to day liaison to University Development, the UCLA Alumni Association, and other units on the UCLA campus. Bjork has led the ISP Sports transition into the UCLA community and the Los Angeles market where they have tripled sponsorship sales and revenue in the first four years.
Bjork has been involved with intercollegiate athletics for 18 years as a student-athlete and administrator. He came to UCLA on September 1, 2005, from the University of Miami, where he spent two years on the executive staff and oversaw all revenue production for the Hurricanes. During his time at Miami, he directed the search process for hiring Frank Haith as the men's basketball coach, served as the day to day liaison with men's basketball, was the department contact for the University President's office, secured the naming rights for the $52 million on-campus arena, re-negotiated Miami's Nike and Gatorade contracts, and increased total giving to Miami Athletics. Prior to his tenure at Miami, Bjork spent 6 ½ years at the University of Missouri, where he oversaw all development operations that raised record funds each year. Total giving increased from $2.1 million in 1996, to $16 million in 2003. Bjork also directed the sales campaign of the football suites' project, and implemented the seating program for Missouri's new basketball arena. He oversaw the generation of $88 million in donations for the Champions for Life Capital Campaign. Bjork was an Athletic Development Officer in 1997 and promoted to Assistant Athletic Director in 2001.
Bjork has also served as Assistant Development Coordinator at Western Kentucky University, Campus Recreation Graduate Assistant and Athletic Department Volunteer at Western Illinois University, Marketing Intern for the University of Tulsa, Front Office Intern for the Albuquerque Dukes, and Student Volunteer for Athletics at Emporia State University.
Bjork, 37, is a native of Dodge City, KS, and received his bachelor's degree in recreation administration from Emporia State University in 1995 and was a two-year starter at fullback. He earned a master's degree in athletic administration from Western Illinois University in December 1996. Bjork is respected nationally by his peers and is Past-President of the National Association of Athletic Development Directors (NAADD). His wife Sonya is the Director of Donor Relations for the UCLA Foundation and they have a son, Payton Ross, born April 14, 2006.
