Two administrators who worked on new Penn State Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Patrick Kraft’s staff at Boston College are joining his executive team in Happy Valley.
Vinnie James and Adam Miller have been appointed as Penn State’s new deputy athletics directors, according to an athletic department news release on Tuesday. Both held similar positions under Kraft at Boston College and previously served on his staff at Temple.
Kraft’s tenure leading the Penn State Athletic Department officially began on Friday.
James will serve as deputy athletics director for internal operations and Miller will be deputy athletics director for external affairs and engagement. Both held similar roles at Boston College.
Penn State’s two current deputy athletics directors —Lynn Holleran, deputy AD for administration, and Scott Sidwell, deputy AD for external operations — “will also continue with their roles on the executive team,” according to the department.
Lauren Rhodes also was promoted from senior associate AD to deputy AD for student-athlete welfare and development.
“I am thrilled to have Vinnie and Adam join me at Penn State,” Kraft said in a statement. “We have a long history together, dating back to our time at Temple, and work well together to develop conditions for our student-athletes to be successful.
:Vinnie is a longtime confidant who has a terrific strategic vision and will propel us to the next level, just as he did at our previous institutions. Adam has established himself as one of the best development leaders in the country. His addition to our Penn State staff will allow us to provide our student-athletes with the facilities and resources they need to develop them as the whole person – mind, body, spirit.”
James will be responsible for the athletic department’s strategic planning, as well as overseeing capital projects, facility and event operations, information technology, the Penn State Golf Courses and equipment operations.
Prior to his two years as senior associate athletics director for business and administration at Boston College, James was the chief advisor to Kraft for strategic initiatives at Temple, oversaw in-house media and was sport administrator for the Owl football program.
“I am incredibly honored and excited to join a premier institution and Athletics department in my home state,” James, a Bucks County native who graduated from Bloomsburg University, said in a statement . “I am extremely thankful to Pat Kraft for the opportunity to work under his leadership for an amazing group of student-athletes. I intend to work tirelessly to help our staff provide a world class experience for all 31 programs.”
Miller will oversee the Nittany Lion Club, ticket sales and services, revenue strategy, new business development, the All Sports Museum, facility rentals, data analytics and event parking. During his two years at Boston College, he helped raise $84 million for 11 capital projects, as well as additional scholarship and financial aid support for student-athletes.
Before joining Kraft’s staff at Temple, where his department raised more than $107 million in 2019-20, Miller spent three years as the associate athletics director for development at Memphis.
“I’m thrilled to be joining the team at Penn State Athletics,” said Miller, who started his career as director of development at his alma mater, Florida Southern College. “Penn State provides an incredible student-athlete experience with both world class academics and athletics. I look forward to helping continue this tradition of excellence. I’d like to thank Pat Kraft for this exciting opportunity. My family and I can’t wait to get to Happy Valley and join the Penn State family.”
