For two decades Jay Hinrichs worked as a volunteer statistician at Kansas University men’s basketball and football games.
“After 20 years I figured I’d get a watch,” Hinrichs quipped, “but they gave me a job instead.”
Hinrichs, a Kansas University graduate who worked 17 years for the Kansas City Royals, was named director of the KU athletic department’s Williams Fund on Wednesday.
Hinrichs, 44, will be responsible for servicing the 3,500-plus members of the athletic department’s donor organization. Last year, the Williams Fund raised more than $5.2 million for scholarships.
“Jay Hinrichs brings a wealth of experience in fund-raising, ticketing, customer service and event operations,” KU associate athletic director Richard Konzem said.
While with the Royals, Hinrichs served as director of stadium operations (1984-90), assistant general manager (1990-2000) and vice president of ballpark operations and development (2000-01).
Hinrichs left the Royals last Nov. 29 when the American League baseball club reorganized its administrative staff. Since leaving the Royals, Hinrichs has done consulting work for the baseball commissioner’s office and been involved in community service, mostly with the Kansas City regional office of the National Kidney Foundation.
Hinrichs earned a bachelor’s degree from KU in 1980, then added a master’s degree in business administration and finance in 1983. Before joining the Royals, he worked two years as a financial analyst for Volume Shoe Corp. in Topeka.
Hinrichs, his wife, Julie, and 4-year-old son, Jared, live in Leawood, but he doesn’t plan to commute for long.
“I certainly love Lawrence and my wife and son are anxious to move there,” said Hinrichs, who will begin full-time duties with the Williams Fund next Monday.
“Working with people I know,” he added, “it seems like the right place for me to give my efforts.”
Hinrichs replaces Scott McMichael who resigned last August and later entered a diversion agreement after being charged with embezzlement.
For two decades Jay Hinrichs worked as a volunteer statistician at Kansas University men’s basketball and football games.
“After 20 years I figured I’d get a watch,” Hinrichs quipped, “but they gave me a job instead.”
Hinrichs, a Kansas University graduate who worked 17 years for the Kansas City Royals, was named director of the KU athletic department’s Williams Fund on Wednesday.
Hinrichs, 44, will be responsible for servicing the 3,500-plus members of the athletic department’s donor organization. Last year, the Williams Fund raised more than $5.2 million for scholarships.
“Jay Hinrichs brings a wealth of experience in fund-raising, ticketing, customer service and event operations,” KU associate athletic director Richard Konzem said.
While with the Royals, Hinrichs served as director of stadium operations (1984-90), assistant general manager (1990-2000) and vice president of ballpark operations and development (2000-01).
Hinrichs left the Royals last Nov. 29 when the American League baseball club reorganized its administrative staff. Since leaving the Royals, Hinrichs has done consulting work for the baseball commissioner’s office and been involved in community service, mostly with the Kansas City regional office of the National Kidney Foundation.
Hinrichs earned a bachelor’s degree from KU in 1980, then added a master’s degree in business administration and finance in 1983. Before joining the Royals, he worked two years as a financial analyst for Volume Shoe Corp. in Topeka.
Hinrichs, his wife, Julie, and 4-year-old son, Jared, live in Leawood, but he doesn’t plan to commute for long.
“I certainly love Lawrence and my wife and son are anxious to move there,” said Hinrichs, who will begin full-time duties with the Williams Fund next Monday.
“Working with people I know,” he added, “it seems like the right place for me to give my efforts.”
Hinrichs replaces Scott McMichael who resigned last August and later entered a diversion agreement after being charged with embezzlement.
For two decades Jay Hinrichs worked as a volunteer statistician at Kansas University men’s basketball and football games.
“After 20 years I figured I’d get a watch,” Hinrichs quipped, “but they gave me a job instead.”
Hinrichs, a Kansas University graduate who worked 17 years for the Kansas City Royals, was named director of the KU athletic department’s Williams Fund on Wednesday.
Hinrichs, 44, will be responsible for servicing the 3,500-plus members of the athletic department’s donor organization. Last year, the Williams Fund raised more than $5.2 million for scholarships.
“Jay Hinrichs brings a wealth of experience in fund-raising, ticketing, customer service and event operations,” KU associate athletic director Richard Konzem said.
While with the Royals, Hinrichs served as director of stadium operations (1984-90), assistant general manager (1990-2000) and vice president of ballpark operations and development (2000-01).
Hinrichs left the Royals last Nov. 29 when the American League baseball club reorganized its administrative staff. Since leaving the Royals, Hinrichs has done consulting work for the baseball commissioner’s office and been involved in community service, mostly with the Kansas City regional office of the National Kidney Foundation.
Hinrichs earned a bachelor’s degree from KU in 1980, then added a master’s degree in business administration and finance in 1983. Before joining the Royals, he worked two years as a financial analyst for Volume Shoe Corp. in Topeka.
Hinrichs, his wife, Julie, and 4-year-old son, Jared, live in Leawood, but he doesn’t plan to commute for long.
“I certainly love Lawrence and my wife and son are anxious to move there,” said Hinrichs, who will begin full-time duties with the Williams Fund next Monday.
“Working with people I know,” he added, “it seems like the right place for me to give my efforts.”
Hinrichs replaces Scott McMichael who resigned last August and later entered a diversion agreement after being charged with embezzlement.
For two decades Jay Hinrichs worked as a volunteer statistician at Kansas University men’s basketball and football games.
“After 20 years I figured I’d get a watch,” Hinrichs quipped, “but they gave me a job instead.”
Hinrichs, a Kansas University graduate who worked 17 years for the Kansas City Royals, was named director of the KU athletic department’s Williams Fund on Wednesday.
Hinrichs, 44, will be responsible for servicing the 3,500-plus members of the athletic department’s donor organization. Last year, the Williams Fund raised more than $5.2 million for scholarships.
“Jay Hinrichs brings a wealth of experience in fund-raising, ticketing, customer service and event operations,” KU associate athletic director Richard Konzem said.
While with the Royals, Hinrichs served as director of stadium operations (1984-90), assistant general manager (1990-2000) and vice president of ballpark operations and development (2000-01).
Hinrichs left the Royals last Nov. 29 when the American League baseball club reorganized its administrative staff. Since leaving the Royals, Hinrichs has done consulting work for the baseball commissioner’s office and been involved in community service, mostly with the Kansas City regional office of the National Kidney Foundation.
Hinrichs earned a bachelor’s degree from KU in 1980, then added a master’s degree in business administration and finance in 1983. Before joining the Royals, he worked two years as a financial analyst for Volume Shoe Corp. in Topeka.
Hinrichs, his wife, Julie, and 4-year-old son, Jared, live in Leawood, but he doesn’t plan to commute for long.
“I certainly love Lawrence and my wife and son are anxious to move there,” said Hinrichs, who will begin full-time duties with the Williams Fund next Monday.
“Working with people I know,” he added, “it seems like the right place for me to give my efforts.”
Hinrichs replaces Scott McMichael who resigned last August and later entered a diversion agreement after being charged with embezzlement.
