Charles Guthrie
University of Akron President Gary L. Miller announced on May 4, 2021 that Charles Guthrie has been named director of athletics, effective July 1, 2021. Guthrie comes to Akron from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, where he served as director of athletics since late 2017. At Green Bay, his responsibilities included strategic, operational and financial planning; extensive external relations and fundraising programs in coordination with University Advancement; compliance and academic achievement; staff and coach development; and relationship building with campus and community constituents.
Prior to Green Bay, Guthrie completed three and a half years as Director of Athletics at San Francisco State. During Guthrie’s tenure, the Gator’s program transformed into one of the premier programs in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), overseeing substantial increases in sponsorship, ticket sales, and fundraising revenue. Annual giving doubled during his tenure and Guthrie was also successful in securing a $2 million gift, the largest one-time individual gift to San Francisco State athletics.
Guthrie arrived in San Francisco after serving as the Director of Athletics at Clark College. He led the Penguins to exceptional competitive success across its 11 intercollegiate programs, highlighted by 26 teams advancing to the playoffs in their respective sports, eight Division championships, seven coach of the year awards and more than 60 student-athletes achieving all-conference and all-star recognition. During his time at Clark, Guthrie served on the NATYCAA Executive Committee.
Prior to Clark, Guthrie served as Associate Director of Athletics for California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA), supporting the overall planning, direction and management of the CSULA intercollegiate athletic program. Guthrie was responsible for the Golden Eagles’ external relations, development and fundraising activities as well as direct supervision of CSULA’s tennis, track and field, and cross-country programs.
Guthrie came to CSULA from Cal State University, San Marcos (CSUSM), where he served as Director of Alumni and Parent Relations beginning in December 2004. While at CSUSM, Guthrie improved the University’s contact with current and former students and more than doubled alumni association membership. He managed and doubled the alumni association budget.
Guthrie previously spent four years as Associate Athletic Director External Relations at University of California, San Diego (UCSD), where he developed and implemented the marketing, alumni and ticket programs for Triton athletics. He was instrumental in negotiating the school’s all-apparel contract with adidas and served as tournament director for the 2001 NCAA Women’s Soccer Championships, 2002 CCAA Conference Track and Field Championships and the 2003 NCAA Women’s Water Polo Championships.
A 2004 graduate of the NCAA Fellows Leadership Development Program, Guthrie served as Director of Marketing, Tickets and Recreation Gym Memberships for the department of athletics at Columbia University in New York City prior to joining the UCSD staff. Guthrie also worked in athletics at Colgate University and the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC). The Albany, N.Y., native earned his B.S. in Political Science from Syracuse University and M.S. in Education Administration and Policy Studies from the University of Albany.
