Hower New Sunshine State Conference Communications Commissioner
By Florida Tech // July 22, 2013
'brings a great vision and skill set'
WINTER PARK, FLORIDA – Florida Tech Assistant Athletic Communications Director Jon Hower has been named Sunshine State Conference Assistant Commissioner for Strategic Communications.
In his role, Hower will oversee all communications and media relations activity for the conference’s 17 sponsored sports.
“We are excited to welcome Jon into this role at the conference office,” said Jay Jones, Sunshine State Conference commissioner.
“He brings a great vision and skill set to the communications position, and he will help us to tell our league’s story and elevate the Sunshine State Conference brand.”
Hower comes to the Winter Park-based office from SSC member institution Florida Tech, where he served as Assistant Athletic Communications Director for one academic year. Acting as the primary media contact for six teams, he also developed new schedule posters and cards, promotional designs and game notes templates.
He worked alongside the SSC staff when he oversaw the sports information and statistics responsibilities for the 2013 SSC Tennis Championships, which Florida Tech hosted at South County Regional Park in Boca Raton, Fla.
IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO FLORIDA TECH
“On behalf of Florida Tech Athletics, I’d like to thank Jon for all he’s contributed to our program,” Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications Ryan Jones said.
“I know his hard work was appreciated by our support staff, coaches and student-athletes. We wish him the best in his new position with the SSC.”
Prior to working at Florida Tech, Hower completed an athletics communications graduate assistantship at Millersville University while obtaining his Masters of Education with a concentration in sport management. He received his undergraduate degree from Lebanon Valley College, where he majored in digital communications and minored in business administration.
“We are excited to welcome Jon into this role at the conference office,” Jay Jones said. “He brings a great vision and skill set to the communications position, and he will help us to tell our league’s story and elevate the Sunshine State Conference brand.”
In his role at Millersville, Hower was the primary media contact for 11 teams, including the Marauder men’s soccer team that advanced to the NCAA Division II semifinals for the first time in school history.
He also played an active role in introducing video to the athletics website and social media outlets. In addition to filming and producing pregame and postgame highlights for the Marauder Sport Broadcasting Network (MSBN), Hower produced a video package for the 2011 DII Atlantic Regional Baseball Championship, as well as “The Greg Colby Show” and “Marauder Minute.”
VALUABLE EXPERIENCE IN WORKING POSTSEASON
Hower additionally gained valuable experience in working postseason tournaments while serving internships at a pair of NCAA Division III institutions, Elizabethtown College and Gettysburg College.
In those positions, he had the opportunity to work at the 2012 Middle Atlantic Conference Wrestling and Track & Field Championships, the 2010 NCAA Division II and III Women’s Lacrosse National Championship, and the 2008 and 2009 DIII Men’s Lacrosse Championships.
Hower’s last day at FIT is Aug. 2. He will begin his duties as Assistant Commissioner on Aug. 5.
ONLY NCAA CONFERENCE HEADQUARTERED IN FLORIDA
Located in Winter Park, the Sunshine State Conference is the only NCAA conference headquartered in the state of Florida.
Its nine member institutions, all located within the state, are: Barry University (Miami Shores), Eckerd College (St. Petersburg), Florida Southern College (Lakeland), Florida Institute of Technology (Melbourne), Lynn University (Boca Raton), Nova Southeastern University (Fort Lauderdale), Rollins College (Winter Park), Saint Leo University (Saint Leo) and the University of Tampa.
SSC schools have won 84 NCAA Division II national championships, and the league is the top-rated academic conference in Division II.
The SSC sponsors 17 intercollegiate sports that compete in NCAA Division II. More than 2,000 student-athletes participate in men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s swimming, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s tennis, baseball, softball, and women’s rowing, and men’s lacrosse.
SSC schools have won 84 NCAA Division II national championships, and the league is the top-rated academic conference in Division II.
