Steve Brummel Position: Marketing and Promotions Director

In 21st year as director of athletic marketing ... Played instrumental role in WWU adopting new group of marks in 2000 and adding digital signage and Viking Vision to Carver Gym in 2012 ... In charge of fund-raising golf tournaments, corporate sponsorships, game management, trademarks and licensing, advertising and promotions ... Also in 13th year as marketing instructor in WWU's College of Business and Economics ... Earned bachelor's degree in business administration from WWU in 1993 and master's degree in 1999 ... Served as Great Northwest Athletic Conference representative to National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators ... Member of Bellingham Bay Rotary Club, serving on Board of Directors from 2006 to 2008 ... Recognized as Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International ... Current member of Bellingham Boys & Girls Club Advisory Board ... Assistant football coach for three seasons at Bellingham High School ... Three-year letter winner as football running back at WWU ... Finished with career totals of 748 yards rushing and seven touchdowns ... Graduate of Sehome High School ... Lettered in baseball and football for Mariners ... 45 years old ... Married to former Jeni Moore ... Has two sons, Coleman, 11, and Carter 1.

The man behind the scenes

Written by Ashley Smith, The Western Front

For 19 years, Steve Brummel has been the Wizard of Oz of Western athletics. If most students saw him walking around campus, they wouldn't give him a second look. It's in his office where he sheds his screen of smoke and gets to work.

"I love my job," Brummel said. "It's never the same day to day. It's never dull."

Brummel is the director of athletic marketing and promotions at Western. He is in charge of promoting, marketing and advertising the sports at Western. Many things he does are not directly attributed to him even though they are essential to Western Athletics. Similar to the mysterious Wizard of Oz, he watches over the games soundlessly, making sure sponsors are represented, logos are licensed and trademarked, and the games run smoothly.

The ironic thing is that while Brummel goes uncelebrated, the rewards of his hard work can be seen throughout campus.

Contributions he has lately tackled were additions to the game experience at Sam Carver Gymnasium last year.

"The most recent thing we've done is the new LED video board, new balcony signs, new scoreboards and the sign outside of Sam Carver Gymnasium that lets people know when the games are," Brummel said.

There have been significant changes in advertising because of the new board.

"The return of investment was definitely there," Brummel said. "It has totally enhanced not only our sponsor experience, but also our fan and game-day experience. People nowadays expect their sports experience to include things like that."

Brummel has also been instrumental in the design and use of the Western Athletics logo, the popular Viking logo on almost all of the Western's athletic uniforms, jerseys and T-shirts sold at the Western bookstore.

A number of other symbols existed before Brummel finally instituted the new logo.

"There were all kinds of logos out there," Brummel said. "It was a mess and we needed to clean it up. That's when we made the Viking symbol we have now. It's very distinctive, clean, simple and powerful. It's had a great return."

Not only has Brummel brought in a logo that is now outwardly recognizable, he has also played a huge part in getting some of WWU's basketball games televised on Root Sports.

"We're always trying to dabble in different things," Brummel said. "We pride ourself on being on the cutting edge."

Not everything Brummel does for Western is about making new signs and logos. He is also looking out for students.

Brummel, his assistant Katie Rothenberg, and five interns put on the Viking Night Dinner and Sports Auction every year in Carver Gymnasium. This year it raised more than $100,000, which will go toward student scholarships.

His work is seen by everyone on Western's campus every day. The logos, the typeface, the athletic website -- all were spearheaded by Brummel. Behind all the smoke and mirrors, it all leads to Brummel -- the man behind the scenes.

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