UC IRVINE NOTEBOOK : Fund-Raiser Faces Difficult Task With Gusto

IRVINE — The walls of Bill Ackman’s new office are a stark gray-blue, unadorned by diplomas, certificates and other ego trimmings.

To some, working in such an environment would seem bleak, even depressing, but for Ackman, director of the UC Irvine Athletic Foundation’s fund-raising drive, it is nearly heaven.

“Isn’t this great?” Ackman said with a big grin. “I’m going to put stuff on the walls. They said I could.”

“They” would be those involved with the inner workings of Irvine’s athletic administration, of which Ackman is not included, at least not officially.

Ackman, 42, was hired Dec. 1 on a three-month interim basis while the university continues its search for a director of athletics and development. Craig Fertig resigned that position in September.

It is Fertig’s former office that Ackman now occupies, very gratefully. After years of voluntary work out of his house, Ackman appreciates office space, especially when someone else is paying for it.

But Ackman, a longtime volunteer for community events and services in the city of Irvine, is prepared to make the most of his three months at UCI. While he hopes to be considered for Fertig’s former position--candidates for the job will be announced in January--he is concentrating on the near-monumental task before him.

He is trying to raise $300,000 in three months: $200,000 by a force of 100 volunteers of which Ackman will oversee and $100,000 by himself.

The $300,000, which will help to fund UCI’s 70 athletic scholarships, is an amount never reached in UCI’s athletic fund-raising drives. And while Ackman knows this, he is not complaining about the challenge.

“I know what I have to do this year--it’s a lot ,” Ackman said with his ever-ready rolling laugh.

“Irvine athletics is a tough sell, period. Some people actually don’t know that we play sports here. No kidding. I was just amazed (to learn that). People think of UCI, and they think of the Medical Center, the Burn Center, but athletics? No. It’s crazy.”

Of course, some might consider Ackman crazy to take on such a challenge.

While Irvine has been successful in some sports--the water polo team won the NCAA championship this year and the men’s tennis and women’s cross-country teams are entering national prominence--the Anteaters don’t have the sports tradition and donation power of USC and UCLA.

Still, many who know Ackman, a gregarious, amiable fellow, say he’s the best man for the job.

“He’s a big, gentle giant who always follows through on a project,” said Newport Beach restaurant manager John Rader, who worked with Ackman on charitable functions in the past and is helping Ackman’s cause by petitioning area restaurants to support UCI.

Added Vince O’Boyle, Irvine’s cross-country and track coach: “He cares about athletics--every coach in this department feels that way.

“All the coaches know what he has to do. He’s got a very tough job ahead of him. But he’s taking it on as a challenge. That shows us something.”

Ackman, an executive board member of UCI’s Athletic Foundation, got the interim job by offering his services during an executive board meeting.

“Basically we were in a committee meeting when we came up with the bad news that UCI athletics was hopelessly underfunded,” Ackman said. “I gave them a proposal--hire me on a temporary basis and let’s see what I can do.”

So far Ackman has organized the five-week fund drive that he hopes will make up the bulk of the contributions. The drive, which runs Jan. 11-Feb. 18, will feature 10 teams of 10--drafted NBA-style on Jan. 4.

Each team has a captain, and, in trying to raise its quota of $20,000, will compete for prizes such as dinners donated by local restaurants, caps, pins, etc.

Aside from guiding volunteers, though, Ackman must raise $100,000 on his own.

Considering his many ties in the community, that goal may not be difficult to reach. Among other things, Ackman is an Irvine Chamber of Commerce board member, president of the Irvine Sports Club and public safety commissioner for the city of Irvine. On his first day on the job, Ackman received his first donation, $250 from Irvine Chief of Police Leo Peart.

“We want to get the whole community behind UCI,” Ackman said. “That’s my whole purpose. But with (fund-raising) you have to put your pride away.

“I like fund-raising. If I believe in the product, I have no problem asking for the money. You have to schmooze, sure. But if you don’t ask, it doesn’t get you anywhere. And I’m not afraid of asking.”

Tom Warde, leading scorer of Irvine’s water polo teams this season with 103 goals, was voted the 1989 Player of the Year by the American Water Polo Coaches Assn.

Irvine’s Chris Duplanty and Julian Harvey also were selected as first-team All-Americans, and Coach Ted Newland, in his 24th season, was named Coach of the Year after leading the Anteaters to the NCAA championship.

Dan Smoot was a third-team selection.

Anteater Notes

After its 81-71 loss to Pepperdine Tuesday night, the men’s basketball team had to return from Malibu to Irvine to watch game films into the early-morning hours. Said center Don May: “Oh, it was a nightmare. Like Jeff (Herdman) said, it was like going to traffic school. . . . You wouldn’t dare yawn.” . . . Coach Bill Mulligan’s weekly luncheon at the Irvine Hilton will have a two-week layoff because of the holidays. The next luncheon will be Jan. 15.