Chuck Neinas is president of Neinas Sports Services, a company designed to provide consulting services in sports, especially intercollegiate athletics, in areas of management, organization, and personnel placement. He is currently retained as an advisor to the American Football Coaches Association and has assisted institutions in the employment of athletic administrators and football and basketball coaches. In addition, he has served as a consultant to a number of universities and conferences.

He most recently served as interim Commissioner of the Big 12 Conference, and was responsible for maintaining and then elevating the conference to its current strong position, adding both TCU and West Virginia to the conference’s existing group of outstanding institutions.

As executive director of the College Football Association (CFA) for 17 years, he promoted the CFA to a forum whereby chief executive officers, faculty, athletics directors and football coaches could work together to achieve consensus on important issues related to college football.

He negotiated television contracts and administered a television plan on behalf of the CFA members from 1984 through 1995 that included ABC, CBS, NBC and ESPN. He assumed responsibility for promoting CFA-sponsored NCAA legislation that included the improvement of academic standards, the development of the continuing eligibility rule requiring progress toward a degree, establishment of more reasonable and enforceable NCAA rules including the recruiting calendar, and elimination of the alumni and boosters from the recruiting process.

Prior to his work with the CFA, Neinas served as commissioner of the Big Eight Conference. During his tenure he streamlined operations to foster improved communications between presidents, faculty, directors and coaches. The success of the Big Eight during his time as commissioner was unparalleled. As assistant executive director of the NCAA from 1961 to 1971, Neinas served as secretary to the NCAA Council and Executive Committee where he was responsible for financial and business affairs. He was supervisor of NCAA Championships, including direct responsibility for the National Collegiate Basketball Championship and College World Series, and served as NCAA Congressional liaison.

Neinas’ illustrious career includes time as chairman of the board and acting chief executive officer of Ascent Entertainment Group, owners of the Colorado Avalanche (NHL), Denver Nuggets (NBA) and the Pepsi Center arena.

Neinas is a recipient of the Amos Alonzo Stagg Award, the highest award presented by the American Football Coaches Association, and the James J. Corbett Memorial Award, the highest award presented by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. He is one of only two individuals to be so honored by both the AFCA and NACDA.