Richard C. Gardner
1017 Applethorn Drive • Apex, NC 27502-2098
Cell: 919-414-6759 • apexgardner@gmail.com
PROFILE:
Creative, innovative, collaborative higher education leader adept at event management,
communication, and program implementation. Skilled relationship-builder and synergizer
across diverse groups including students, faculty, staff and members of the larger community.
Enthusiastic, seasoned professional with extensive university experience spanning over 20
years.
Demonstrated strengths include: large scale event management, leadership skill building,
sustainability, team building, marketing, customer service, contract negotiation and review, and
budget management.
EXPERIENCE:
Associate Director, Student Leadership & Engagement, North Carolina State
University, Raleigh, NC (2005-Present)
 Coordinate and advise Union Activities Board with a budget of $424,384 on 174
events with a combined attendance of 56,991 and in collaboration with 177
student organizations, University departments and off campus businesses
 Supervise three full time staff, two graduate assistants and over 150 student
volunteers and employees
 Coordinate team approach for major campus events including Friday Fest, All
Night Bash, Pan Afrikan Festival, and Campus Movie Fest
 Increased attendance at Campus Cinema from 8,422 in 2004-2005 to over
30,000 in 2012-2013 academic years
 Initiated UAB marketing impact via social media including: Facebook, youtube,
twitter, Instagram, foursquare and text message accounts
 Initiated sustainability measures at UAB events including: composting; cardboard
recycling; organic cotton event shirts; farmer’s market; carbon offset purchase;
and use of blue green water machines to eliminate bottle water usage
Senior Events Coordinator, Event Advising Center and Office of Student Activities
and Facilities, Duke University, Durham, NC (2000-2004)
 Improved campus life and minimized campus disruptions through student
organization advising over 3,000 student programs including Duke University
Union and Duke Student Government
 Negotiated and processed performance and vendor contracts totaling $4 million
with over $1 million dollars saved and no contract disputes
 Reduced alcohol related incidents and changed campus norms by creating party
monitor program in collaboration with multiple Student Affairs offices
 Produced Last Day of Classes and Cameron Indoor Stadium concert events with
over 15,000 attendees
 Facilitated annual Beaufort Leadership Retreat for Sophomores and Juniors
Presented on teambuilding, event planning, mediation, and organizational
funding
Building Manager, Ohio Unions, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (1996-2000)
 Balanced budgets over $500,000 with progressively less university-subsidized
income over four years by increasing revenue and reducing expenses
EXPERIENCE (Continued):
 Increased traffic, new and repeat business by over 50% through new
programming efforts, targeted marketing campaign, and higher standards of
customer service
Activities Board Advisor, Carolina Union, UNC-Chapel Hill, NC (1992-1996)
• Advised and coordinated fourteen volunteer committees of Carolina Union in the
implementation of over 500 programs with total attendance over 50,000.
OTHER EXPERIENCES:
Assistant Hall Director, Intern in the Office of the University President, Academic Advisor,
Admissions Counselor, Resident Advisor, Newspaper Reporter, Senior Boy Scout
Executive, Scout Camp Program Director and Camp Counselor, and Screening Facilitator.
EDUCATION:
 BA, Journalism (Public Relations), The Ohio State University (1985)
 MA, Higher Education Administration, Student Personnel, The Ohio State University
(1992)
 University Management Development Program, Kenan-Flager Business School,
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1993)
 ACUI Indiana Professional Development Seminar, Indiana University (1996)
 ACPA Mid-Level Management Institute, Charleston, SC (2007)
 Performance Leadership, North Carolina State University (2008)
 Equal Employment Opportunity Institute, NC Office of State Personnel (2011)
ARTICLES:
Film Programming on a Shoestring Budget. The Bulletin of the Association of College Unions
International, May 2012, Vol. 80, Issue 3
Making the Switch to Digital Cinema, The Bulletin of the Association of College Unions
International, September 2011, Vol. 79, Issue 5
Programming while the Union is Under Construction (with Eric Margiotta and Matt Couch), The
Bulletin of the Association of College Unions International, January 2011, Vol. 79, Issue 1
Book Review: Why We Make Mistakes: How We Look Without Seeing, Forget Things in
Seconds, And Are All Pretty Sure We Are Way Above Average by Joseph T. Hallinan, The
Bulletin of the Association of College Unions International, August 2010, Vol. 78, Issue 4
Tuckered Out: Lessons Learned from Campus Controversy (with Dr. Deb Luckadoo) The
Bulletin of the Association of College Union International, March 2010, Vol. 78 Issue 2
Creating Campus Community for Graduate Students Through Programs, Services, and
Facilities (with Jodie Kern-Bowen) The Bulletin of the Association of College Union International,
March 2010, Vol. 78 Issue 2
Producing Campus Comedy Events: Educational But ‘Not Pretty’ The Bulletin of the Association
of College Unions International, September 2009, Vol. 77 Issue 5
Question and Answer with Paul Vitale: Inspiration, Motivation and Teamwork in Today’s
Economy, The Bulletin of the Association of College Unions International, March 2009, Vol. 77
Issue 2
ARTICLES (Continued):
Budgeting 101 for Program Advisors, The Bulletin of the Association of College Unions
International, September 2008, Vol. 76 Issue 5
Book Review: Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions by Dan
Ariely, The Union Wire of the Association of College Unions International, August 2008, Vol. 41,
No. 4
20 Questions about Low-Cost Marketing, The Bulletin of the Association of College Unions
International, January 2008, Vol. 76, Issue 1
Films Programs: A Foundation for Campus Activities, The Bulletin of the Association of College
Unions International, September 2007, Vol. 75, Issue 5
Working in Concert with Agents and Promoters, The Bulletin of the Association of College
Unions International, September 2004, Vol. 72, Issue 5
PRESENTATIONS:
Wellness: A Cross-Campus Survey of Programs (co-presented with Melissia Schmidt), ACUI
International Conference, March 2013
Instructor for Leadership Class, EAC 301 (co-taught with Deborah Felder), NC State University,
Spring Semester, 2013
Budgeting Basics for Student Leaders (co-presented with Holly Durham), ACUI Region 5
Conference, November 2012, Northern Kentucky University
ACUI Webinar: Controversial Programming on Campus (co-presented with Carrie Martin)
October 2010
Introduction to Digital Photography and Photoshop, ACUI International Conference, March
2010, New York
Tuckered Out: Maximizing the Lessons from I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell (co-presented with
Dr. Deb Luckadoo), NC State Student Affairs Professional Development Conference, January
2010
Campus Activities Goes Green (co-presented with Megan Tierney), ACUI Region 5 Conference,
November 2008, Vanderbilt University
ACUI Webinar: Budgeting 101 for Program Advisors (co-presented with Ryan Willerton)
September 2008.
Campus Activities Goes Green (co-presented with Dr. Deb Luckadoo and Megan Tierney),
Campus Sustainability Summit, April 2008, University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Marketing 201, ACUI Region 5 Conference, October 2007, College of Charleston
Family Cluster Facilitator, The Leadershape Institute, NC State University, May 2006
Event Planning 2003: Reaching New Populations, Duke University, Beaufort Student
Leadership Retreat, August 2003
PRESENTATIONS (Continued):
Instructor for University College Survey Class for Business Majors (Fall Quarter 1991, Winter
Quarter 1992 and Spring Quarter 1992), The Ohio State University
ACTIVITIES:
 Eagle Scout,
 ACUI: Region 5 Regional Director; Region 5 Leadership Team; Region 5 2009
Conference Committee at North Carolina State University; Region 5 2008
Conference Committee at Vanderbilt University; Region 7 1998 Conference
Committee at Albion College; and Education Council Co-Chair of Campus Life and
Program Management Committee (2004)
 Apex Festival Commission, Entertainment Chair (2004 – Present)
 NC State Wolfpack Welcome Week Committee (2005 – Present)
 NC State Healthy State Committee (2005 – Present)
 NC State Campus Environmental Sustainability Team
 NC State Earth Day Committee (2010 - 2013) (Co-Chair, 2012)
 First Year Reading Selection Committee (2007 – 2009)
 NC State WITH Coordinator (Sportsmanship Program at Home Football Games)
(2005 - Present)
 NC State Student Affairs Professional Development Committee (2005 – 2012)
(Chair, 2007)
 American Legion Buckeye Boys’ State Counselor, Bowling Green State University
(1982 and 1983)
 Avid runner, swimmer and cyclist; completed ten triathlons, eight biathlons and three
marathons
Awards:
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President’s Award (Duke University Inter-Fraternity Council) Spring, 2002
University Award for Excellence (NC State Student Affairs) Spring 2007
Outstanding Contribution to the Profession (NC State Student Affairs) Spring, 2010
Pride of the Wolfpack (NC State Student Affairs) March, 2011
NC State Green Brick Award (NC State Sustainability Award) Spring, 2013