Bill Shumard, President & CEO
Bill Shumard has served as President/CEO of Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC) since June 2005, taking over the leadership role of the organization after spending five years as a member of SOSC's Board of Directors.
Under Shumard's leadership, SOSC has made numerous strategic changes and improvements designed to position the organization for significant athlete growth in the future. The newly-revamped sports program, featuring 12 sports in two seasons, features opportunities most closely aligned with athlete interests, available expertise, and facilities. Additionally, a highly successful School Partnership Program has been implemented to reach younger athletes.
Revenue-generating efforts have been enhanced with the addition of a Dream House Raffle and annual "Board Challenge," along with a greater emphasis on individual and online giving. The Dream House Raffle has been instrumental in growing SOSC's reserve funds to more than $3 million, while the Board Challenge has resulted in approximately $2.5 million in support from the Board of Directors over the past four years. SOSC has also enhanced its technological efforts with the launch of a new website and intranet.
SOSC is now being recognized as one of Special Olympics' premier programs in the country. SOSC played host to the 2010 International Law Enforcement Torch Run Conference and was recently awarded the bid for the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games—the largest sports event in the world. The organization has twice been honored with "Program Innovation" awards by Special Olympics North America.
Prior to coming to SOSC, Shumard enjoyed a long and successful career in sports management at both the professional and collegiate levels, enjoying associations with teams and programs that enjoyed both competitive and financial success. After receiving his Bachelor's degree in journalism from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) in 1972, Shumard was named as CSULB's Sports Information Director. One year later, he moved to California State University, Los Angeles to assume the same position for two years.
Shumard joined the Los Angeles Dodgers organization in 1975 and was part of the organization's unparalleled business success for the next 12 years. During that span, the Dodgers won a World Championship and participated in three World Series; hosted the 1980 All-Star Game and the 1984 Olympic baseball competition. The franchise drew a record-setting three million fans in six different seasons—a mark no other club had achieved up to that point. As Director of Community Services & Special Events, Shumard coordinated the Dodgers' many successful community outreach programs and a host of the franchise's most popular promotions, including Opening Day, Old-Timer's Day and Hollywood Stars Night.
In 1988, Shumard left the Dodger organization to become the Executive Director of USC's Athletic Centennial, later becoming an assistant athletic director. During his tenure at USC, the Trojans participated in three Rose Bowls and he was part of a development staff that raised more than $7 million annually to support the program. He also served in a leadership role in the formation of The Sports Management Institute, a certificate program for high-level professional and collegiate executives to further professional development.
Shumard was named Director of Athletics at Cal State Fullerton in 1991, a position he held until 1994. Two of his teams reached NCAA Championship status, with the baseball team finishing as national runner-up in the 1992 College World Series and the men's soccer team competing in the NCAA Final Four in 1993.
Shumard came full circle when he returned to his alma mater, CSULB, where he served as Executive Director of Athletics until coming to SOSC in 2005. Shumard was the second-longest tenured AD in CSULB history. During his tenure, the department tripled the graduation rate of its student-athletes and raised more than $7 million for capital projects, which included the naming of The Pyramid by Mike and Arline Walter and the building of new student-athlete academic and fitness centers. CSULB was also a perennial mid-major power, finishing in the top 100 five times in the annual Director's Cup competition. Several teams were nationally ranked each year, and CSULB alumni in the professional ranks include Misty May-Treanor, Troy Tulowitzki, Evan Longoria and Jered Weaver. Shumard hired two coaches -- Rick Azevedo (Men's Water Polo) and Alan Knipe (Men's Volleyball) -- who went on to become head coaches of USA Olympic teams. During his tenure, Long Beach State hosted a number of NCAA regional and national championship competitions, bringing valuable exposure and additional revenue to the university and city.
Shumard serves on the Executive Committee of the United States Leadership Council for Special Olympics. He also serves as Chair of CSULB's Graduate Program in Sport Management's Advisory Board; Chair of the Ukleja Center for Ethical Leadership's Governing Council in the CSULB College of Business; and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Sports Council; The Columbian Foundation; and the International City Racing Association Foundation.
Shumard and his wife, Kim, reside in Brea. They have three grown children and four grandchildren.