Pavan nominated for Leadership Paybook's Administrator of the Year
Jun. 21—Cumberland vice president of athletics Ron Pavan was nominated for The Leadership Playbook 2022-2023 Administrator of the Year.
The award seeks to honor individuals in leadership positions who strive to develop other leaders, make people and situations better, and provide a positive example for those they influence.
Pikeville's Kelly Wells was announced Sunday as the winner for liberal arts colleges. Other categories include public universities, public high schools and private high schools.
Pavan just finished his 15th season at Cumberland guiding the Phoenix to a 25th-place finish in the NAIA LEARFIELD Directors' Cup and a second place nod in the Mid-South Conference Presidents' Cup. The Phoenix captured five NAIA individual National Championships this season and added five more conference titles — women's volleyball, women's golf, men's indoor track & field, men's outdoor track & field and esports overwatch. Cumberland tallied 11 NAIA National Tournament appearances in 2022-23.
Since Pavan came to Cumberland in 2008, the athletics department has seen unprecedented success winning 15 NAIA national championships, 39 team conference championships and 90 individual conference champions.
He has also overseen numerous facility upgrades from the $500,000 initiative in 2018 to the most recent additions of infield turf at baseball and a jumbotron video board in the arena. Pavan is currently helping spearhead new renovations at Nokes-Lasater Field with plans for more later.
During his tenure, Pavan has earned numerous awards and honors. In 2008, Ohio Valley University created the Ron Pavan Athletic Award that is given to a meritorious student-athlete every year in Pavan's honor. He was inducted into the Ohio Valley University Hall of Fame and named the Wilson County Sports Person of the Year in 2016. Pavan has also won the Mid-South Conference Athletic Director of the Year Award in 2018 and '20.
TheLeadershipPlaybook.com helps athletic departments and sports teams build stronger cultures by developing better teammates and more positive leaders. As part of the online curriculum, the program has hundreds of two-minute video lessons to increase a person's leadership abilities and develop life skills.
"We're thrilled to recognize Ron Pavan as an example of not just an administrator, but as a leader," said Bechler. "Though dotting I's and crossing T's are important, it's always exciting to see someone with a larger purpose than just administering and managing. The best leaders seek to make the people around them better and build a stronger, healthier culture."
Nominations came from peers, coaches, teachers, community members, student-athletes, and in some cases, even individuals from other schools.
