Know Your Madisonian: Mike Cerniglia

Feb. 13--Mike Cerniglia has worn a badge as a Dane County sheriff's deputy, worked for two of the most accomplished coaches at the University of Wisconsin and been a face of the Badgers on radio and television. Somewhere along that career path are lessons that should help him now.

Cerniglia is six weeks into his role as executive director of the National W Club, a nonprofit that represents men and women who have won varsity letters competing in sports sponsored by UW Athletics.

The group, which has about 2,200 active members, has seen a lot of upheaval over the last nine months. Not only did the W Club relinquish its role as concessionaire for all UW athletic events -- something it had done since the early 1960s -- Terry Murawski stepped down as executive director after 30 years.

While Learfield Levy Foodservice took over as concession provider for UW athletic events, Jill Ries served as interim director until a replacement could be found.

Enter Cerniglia, a former UW hockey player who grew up in Madison and attended Memorial High School . He was chosen from a field of four finalists to oversee a staff of two full-time employees, an intern and an organization that has 8,000 to 10,000 potential members.

Cerniglia was the director of operations for men's hockey coach Mike Eaves in 2006 when the Badgers won the NCAA title. Most recently, Cerniglia, 37, served as assistant to UW athletic director and former Hall of Fame football coach Barry Alvarez.

Q: You've had some unique jobs. How have they prepared you for this one?

A: Having developed relationship skills in every one of them would probably be the biggest. ... They're all a support role, so it's how you're serving the people that you're working for.

Q: The top two items on your to-do list?

A: Redefine the W Club as a membership organization and what we offer the letterwinners is No. 1. Then, No. 2 is maintaining our signature event, which is the Crazylegs Run, and help that flourish.

Q: What needs to be redefined? What's confusing about the mission right now?

A. We need to put together what members receive for being a member of this organization. Being a letterwinner, you're not automatically a member of the organization. If you pay your annual dues, then you're involved in the organization and (eligible for) the membership's offerings. We need to define what those membership offerings are. Is that access back to campus and the athletic department? Is that through season-ticket options? Is that through tours? Is that through access to the current coaching staffs? Is it events (and) reunions to celebrate legacies? Is it (booster) events across the country? Is it golf outings? What are all those added benefits that you get? That has changed over the years. Some years it's been more focused than others. But truly, as an organization, we need to define, moving forward, what are our offerings are and what is the fee structure for that.

Q: Do you see the list of offerings being pared down or getting larger?

A: I see it growing. More offerings -- more defined offerings -- and count on offerings to all 23 sports.

Q: Something you've learned since you took the job?

A: You need to reach out to other leaders. Let me put it this way: I've had to reach out to coach Eaves, to coach Alvarez, to other mentors in town for advice. The lesson is never try to do it alone ... and to know how to manage situations that you're in. I knew that going in, but I didn't realize it until I truly got here for the first week. Dealing with personnel stuff or business insurance stuff or (human resources) stuff, we've got a wealth of knowledge in the (athletic) department that I can draw upon.

Q: The best advice you've received since taking the job?

A: Enjoy the journey. Enjoy the process. Don't get stressed out. It's all about the relationships you'll build, either the working relationships with people that are doing the work or the external relationships when (letter winners) come back to campus. A membership organization is all about building relationship and adding value. If you get bogged down in the business operations, you'll miss out on the joy.

-- Interview by Andy Baggot

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