John Currie (born April 1, 1971) is an college athletics administrator, most recently holding the position of Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics at the University of Tennessee. He was hired by Tennessee on February 28, 2017, and was suspended on December 1, 2017. Prior to Tennessee, Currie was the Athletics Director at Kansas State University from 2009 to 2017.
Education
Currie earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history with a minor in politics from Wake Forest University in 1993 and a Master’s of Science degree in sport management from the University of Tennessee in 2003.
Early career
Currie began his professional career at Wake Forest in 1993 as a Deacon Club intern before he was appointed assistant Deacon Club director in 1994 (a position he held until 1997). After a two-year stint as Assistant Athletics Director at Wake Forest, Currie joined the University of Tennessee in 1997 as Executive Director of its Athletic Scholarship Fund. At Tennessee, he was Executive Associate Athletic Director, Senior Associate Athletic Director, Associate Athletic Director for External Operations, Associate Director for Development, Marketing and Tickets, Associate Athletic Director for Development, and Assistant Athletic Director for Development. As Executive Associate Athletic Director, Currie was among Knoxville business' "40 under 40".
At Kansas State
Currie administered K-State Athletics' projected $71 million budget, managed 165 employees, and maintained relations with 450 student athletes. He had cultivated relationships with alumni and donors, and his department projected a $4.4Â million budget increase for the 2016 fiscal year. During Currie's tenure, the school's athletics budget has increased by $26 million over its 2010 budget of $44.1 million to $73 million. KSU's athletics budget has had a surplus for six consecutive years.
The university invested $190 million in new and upgraded facilities, including the West Stadium Center at Bill Snyder Family Stadium and a basketball training venue. In May 2015, a new football complex was under construction which was scheduled to open in September. In a letter to supporters dated June 30, 2015, Currie wrote that the KSU athletics department's first goal was to provide "A World-Class Student-Athlete Experience".
Awards and achievements
After the Kansas State Wildcats won or shared Big 12 Conference championships in football, men’s basketball and baseball in the 2012â€"2013 academic year, and Currie was honored as one of four 2013 Under Armour Athletic Directors of the Year by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.
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