Post by HCTigerMan on Jun 5, 2005 12:28:18 GMT -6
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With only four months separating him from retirement plans, Tommy Henry said that he has reconsidered and will complete the final two years of his contract as Louisiana High School Athletic Association commissioner.
Henry's four-year, $320,000 contract expires Oct. 5, 2007. But last year, during the spirited debate that surrounded a proposed split of the LHSAA into public- and private-school divisions, Henry said on several occasions that he would end his run as the longest-tenured commissioner this Oct. 5.
"I said that I probably would retire," said Henry, 67, LHSAA commissioner for the past 23 years. "But I've had a lot of (LHSAA) people tell me that I need to fulfill my contract. I'm sure that there are a lot of people who would love to see me leave. But since last October, I've had a good number of people tell me that I should fulfill my contract. My health is OK. So I feel like that I should finish my commitment."
Henry has worked for the LHSAA for 30 years, dating to his 1976 hiring as an administrative assistant to then commissioner Frank Spruiell.
Henry's pending departure was expected to be a topic at the association's annual summer meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at the Cypress Bend Golf Resort and Conference Center near Many.
"I do not see myself as irreplaceable," Henry said. "I may have stayed too long already. And I don't want to stay too long. But I still feel like I'm making a lot of significant contributions."
Henry said his discussion of retirement last year was not a ploy to influence the vote on the split proposal, which was defeated by a 235-89 margin.
"Absolutely not," Henry said. "I just felt like (then) that it would be a good time to leave. Then people started reminding me that I had two years left on my contract. We also have this new rules compliance (implementation). We have this third (assistant) commissioner to hire. It was a dilemma. I had mixed emotions (about leaving). I decided the right thing to do was to honor the contract."
Henry also decided that he wanted to be on board for the 25th anniversary of the Superdome Classic state football championships in December, and see through the association's plan to have model district constitutions available for members around the state.
The LHSAA's new rules compliance policies that took effect last school year will begin being enforced in 2005-06, with hefty fines levied against violating schools, as the association shifts its emphasis from penalizing the student-athletes involved to the responsible schools and officials.
"I've always told (LHSAA officials and members) that I would never leave without giving them at least one year's notice, and that I would never resign or retire during a classification year," Henry said. "I haven't given them notice yet and if I go another year it will be a classification year (in 2006-07)."
"Tommy is the LHSAA," said Iowa principal David Buller, the LHSAA president from 2001 to 2003 and an executive committee member. "He made (the LHSAA) what it is. That's how I feel. If his health is good enough and he wants to hang on, then I'm all for it. I'm 100 percent behind him."
Henry said he will not seek another contract beyond his current deal. He also said that he has never operated under a signed contract since joining the LHSAA.
With a base salary of approximately $80,000, the LHSAA commissioner is the lowest paid in the South, according to salary figures gathered by the national association of high school athletic associations. The Louisiana post pays $41,000 less than Mississippi and $4,400 less than in Arkansas, two of Louisiana's border states.
"I'm not looking beyond (2007)," Henry said. "I'll be 69 then. I try not to get too set in my ways. And one thing that's helped me is that I have a wonderful staff. We have a good mixture of people that work with me. Some of them have been there a long time and some of them are new and have aggressive ideas. So there is a balance."
Current LHSAA president William Duplechain, from Port Barre, and Buller agree with Henry's assessment that his decision to remain for two more years will be met with mixed emotions, with many of the harsh feelings tied to the extremely emotional split issue.
"I think there will be people who will be disappointed, for whatever reason, that he is not leaving," Buller said. "But there's also going to be people who will be pleased to know that he is staying. When you're in the position that he has been in, you're going to make some people unhappy. I personally have no problem with Tommy finishing his (final) two years."
"In speaking for myself as a member of the LHSAA," Duplechain said, "the commissioner has the right to fulfill his contractual agreement, whether it's verbal or written. If he chooses to do so and he can do so in an acceptable manner, then that is his prerogative. He has done an admirable job and he has chosen to fulfill his contract. Tommy has been a very good commissioner. So he will know when it's time (to leave)."
Under proposed legislation scheduled to be presented at the summer meetings, Henry and his successors could face more checks and balances. Executive committee member John Guilbeau, who represents the State Department of Education, has two proposals aimed at the commissioner's office.
One would more clearly define the method used to audit and report the association's financial records. The second would implement annual written performance reviews of the commissioner by the executive committee.
"John sent Tommy a copy (of the proposals) and he's OK with it," Duplechain said. "It's nothing that's going to blindside him. It's something that we as an executive committee feel needs to be in place when we have another commissioner. I feel it is prudent."
Henry's decision to remain until October 2007 also gives the LHSAA more time to find a successor. Henry said that he strongly recommends assistant commissioner B.J. Guzzardo.
"A lot of people didn't think that I could do the job when I was hired," Henry said. "I did a lot of work behind the scenes, so there was this perception that I couldn't do the job. I have delegated a lot of responsibility to B.J. Guzzardo. So in essence, I've been grooming B.J. for this job if he wants to apply for the position and the executive committee approves him. The executive committee is going to have to decide. But there are some experiences you gain from doing this job that give you a leg up on everyone else."
Despite Henry's seemingly influential support, it is not guaranteed that Guzzardo will replace him. Guzzardo has been an assistant commissioner for 16 years.
Duplechain and Buller said they, too, would be interested in the position.
"It's going to be hard replacing Tommy because he has been the organization," Buller said. "I'm aware of the way he feels about B.J. I'm glad that (Henry's decision to stay on) gives the association some time. B.J. is a very hard worker, a tireless worker, but there may be other people interested who may want to throw their hat into the ring."
With only four months separating him from retirement plans, Tommy Henry said that he has reconsidered and will complete the final two years of his contract as Louisiana High School Athletic Association commissioner.
Henry's four-year, $320,000 contract expires Oct. 5, 2007. But last year, during the spirited debate that surrounded a proposed split of the LHSAA into public- and private-school divisions, Henry said on several occasions that he would end his run as the longest-tenured commissioner this Oct. 5.
"I said that I probably would retire," said Henry, 67, LHSAA commissioner for the past 23 years. "But I've had a lot of (LHSAA) people tell me that I need to fulfill my contract. I'm sure that there are a lot of people who would love to see me leave. But since last October, I've had a good number of people tell me that I should fulfill my contract. My health is OK. So I feel like that I should finish my commitment."
Henry has worked for the LHSAA for 30 years, dating to his 1976 hiring as an administrative assistant to then commissioner Frank Spruiell.
Henry's pending departure was expected to be a topic at the association's annual summer meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at the Cypress Bend Golf Resort and Conference Center near Many.
"I do not see myself as irreplaceable," Henry said. "I may have stayed too long already. And I don't want to stay too long. But I still feel like I'm making a lot of significant contributions."
Henry said his discussion of retirement last year was not a ploy to influence the vote on the split proposal, which was defeated by a 235-89 margin.
"Absolutely not," Henry said. "I just felt like (then) that it would be a good time to leave. Then people started reminding me that I had two years left on my contract. We also have this new rules compliance (implementation). We have this third (assistant) commissioner to hire. It was a dilemma. I had mixed emotions (about leaving). I decided the right thing to do was to honor the contract."
Henry also decided that he wanted to be on board for the 25th anniversary of the Superdome Classic state football championships in December, and see through the association's plan to have model district constitutions available for members around the state.
The LHSAA's new rules compliance policies that took effect last school year will begin being enforced in 2005-06, with hefty fines levied against violating schools, as the association shifts its emphasis from penalizing the student-athletes involved to the responsible schools and officials.
"I've always told (LHSAA officials and members) that I would never leave without giving them at least one year's notice, and that I would never resign or retire during a classification year," Henry said. "I haven't given them notice yet and if I go another year it will be a classification year (in 2006-07)."
"Tommy is the LHSAA," said Iowa principal David Buller, the LHSAA president from 2001 to 2003 and an executive committee member. "He made (the LHSAA) what it is. That's how I feel. If his health is good enough and he wants to hang on, then I'm all for it. I'm 100 percent behind him."
Henry said he will not seek another contract beyond his current deal. He also said that he has never operated under a signed contract since joining the LHSAA.
With a base salary of approximately $80,000, the LHSAA commissioner is the lowest paid in the South, according to salary figures gathered by the national association of high school athletic associations. The Louisiana post pays $41,000 less than Mississippi and $4,400 less than in Arkansas, two of Louisiana's border states.
"I'm not looking beyond (2007)," Henry said. "I'll be 69 then. I try not to get too set in my ways. And one thing that's helped me is that I have a wonderful staff. We have a good mixture of people that work with me. Some of them have been there a long time and some of them are new and have aggressive ideas. So there is a balance."
Current LHSAA president William Duplechain, from Port Barre, and Buller agree with Henry's assessment that his decision to remain for two more years will be met with mixed emotions, with many of the harsh feelings tied to the extremely emotional split issue.
"I think there will be people who will be disappointed, for whatever reason, that he is not leaving," Buller said. "But there's also going to be people who will be pleased to know that he is staying. When you're in the position that he has been in, you're going to make some people unhappy. I personally have no problem with Tommy finishing his (final) two years."
"In speaking for myself as a member of the LHSAA," Duplechain said, "the commissioner has the right to fulfill his contractual agreement, whether it's verbal or written. If he chooses to do so and he can do so in an acceptable manner, then that is his prerogative. He has done an admirable job and he has chosen to fulfill his contract. Tommy has been a very good commissioner. So he will know when it's time (to leave)."
Under proposed legislation scheduled to be presented at the summer meetings, Henry and his successors could face more checks and balances. Executive committee member John Guilbeau, who represents the State Department of Education, has two proposals aimed at the commissioner's office.
One would more clearly define the method used to audit and report the association's financial records. The second would implement annual written performance reviews of the commissioner by the executive committee.
"John sent Tommy a copy (of the proposals) and he's OK with it," Duplechain said. "It's nothing that's going to blindside him. It's something that we as an executive committee feel needs to be in place when we have another commissioner. I feel it is prudent."
Henry's decision to remain until October 2007 also gives the LHSAA more time to find a successor. Henry said that he strongly recommends assistant commissioner B.J. Guzzardo.
"A lot of people didn't think that I could do the job when I was hired," Henry said. "I did a lot of work behind the scenes, so there was this perception that I couldn't do the job. I have delegated a lot of responsibility to B.J. Guzzardo. So in essence, I've been grooming B.J. for this job if he wants to apply for the position and the executive committee approves him. The executive committee is going to have to decide. But there are some experiences you gain from doing this job that give you a leg up on everyone else."
Despite Henry's seemingly influential support, it is not guaranteed that Guzzardo will replace him. Guzzardo has been an assistant commissioner for 16 years.
Duplechain and Buller said they, too, would be interested in the position.
"It's going to be hard replacing Tommy because he has been the organization," Buller said. "I'm aware of the way he feels about B.J. I'm glad that (Henry's decision to stay on) gives the association some time. B.J. is a very hard worker, a tireless worker, but there may be other people interested who may want to throw their hat into the ring."