Chet Savage joined New Mexico State University as the Deputy Director Athletics Director on July 6, 2015. He directs annual fundraising for the Aggies through the Aggie Athletic Club, in addition to other duties closely tied with donor related functions.
Savage comes to NM State from Southern Illinois University where he served for the last eight years. He began as the Associate Director of Athletics for External Operations and was promoted to Deputy Director of Athletics in 2010.
Savage directed all revenue production for the Salukis, including capital fundraising, the Saluki Athletic Scholarship Fund, marketing, licensing, multimedia, media services, broadcast / video operations, special events and ticket sales. He also provided administrative oversight for the men's and women's golf programs and baseball.
Under his direction, SIU raised more than $11 million in private giving for the “Saluki Way” capital campaign. Overall, he helped increase cash contributions to the Saluki Athletic Scholarship Fund 129%.
Savage also worked in the negotiations of contracts for multimedia rights, all-school apparel and outbound ticket sales for SIU.
Prior to SIU, Savage was at the University of Missouri from 2002-2007. During his tenure as the Director of the Tiger Scholarship Fund, Savage oversaw growth in the fund of $2.5 million.
He also played an integral part in Missouri's Champions for Life capital campaign, in which more than $120 million was raised to fund capital projects such as Mizzou Arena and the Mizzou Athletic Training Complex.
Prior to his tenure at Missouri, Savage was a Development Assistant for the Mike Ahearn Athletic Scholarship Fund at Kansas State University from 2001-02.
Savage, a native of Riverside, Calif., received his bachelor's degree in Public Relations (2000) and master's degree in administration (2002) from Kansas State, where he was a two-year starter at catcher for the Wildcats' baseball team (1998-99).
