Jackson Free Press

In December 2016, University of Southern Mississippi Director of Athletics Bill McGillis announced he was resigning his post. McGillis took the USM job in July 2013, taking over for Jeff Hammond, who was in the position for a short time after Richard Giannini retired in 2011.

McGillis, a Seattle native, left USM to become the associate vice president and executive athletic director at the University of San Diego. After three years at USM, McGillis wanted to move closer to his and his wife’s families on the west coast.

His timing with the holidays coming up meant Southern Miss wouldn’t be able to hire a new athletic director immediately. USM named strength and conditioning coach Zac Woodlin as interim athletic director but continued searching for a permanent replacement for the job.

On Tuesday, Jan. 24, USM President Rodney D. Bennett announced that Jon Gilbert will be taking the reins as director of athletics. Gilbert becomes the seventh person to hold the title in the 100-plus-year history of Southern Miss sports and will start his new job by March 1.

The Golden Eagles’ new athletic director comes from the University of Tennessee, where he worked as executive senior associate athletics director since 2011. Gilbert handled the day-to-day operations of the Volunteers’ athletic department.

During his time at Tennessee, student athletes had a 3.0 grade-point average, and all sports exceeded the NCAA Academic Progress Rate requirements. Gilbert played an integral part in negotiating for the university to host a football game between the Volunteers hosted Virginia Tech at Bristol Motor Speedway during the 2016 season.

He installed and managed the university's cost-of-attendance program, which helps universities in the Power Five conferences provide more financial support for athletes. Gilbert trimmed operating expenses where needed and helped negotiate an eight-year contract with Nike for $35 million in a new apparel deal.

Before joining the University of Tennessee staff, Gilbert worked at the University of Alabama for almost 17 years. Among his many roles at Alabama, he served as the associate athletic director from 2009 to 2011. While there, Gilbert oversaw the development department, which raised $82 million in gifts and pledges the Crimson Tide Foundation, and also supervised the marketing and promotions department, and all aspects of the ticket office and seat-licensing program.

Before starting his career, Gilbert attended Lenoir-Rhyne College in Hickory, N.C., and was a three-year letterman on the football team while he was earning his undergraduate degree. He then went on to study at the Eastern Kentucky University and earned his master's degree in sports administration.

Gilbert and his wife, Katie Gilbert, have two children, Kent and Larsen Gilbert.