Empire 8 Conference Commissioner Chuck Mitrano announced the hiring of Joe Venniro as the Associate Commissioner on Thursday. Venniro will officially begin on August 12
th and he comes to the Empire 8 after spending the last 15 years in the sports information department at Rochester Institute of Technology, most recently as the Executive Sports Information Director.
“We are excited to welcome Joe to the Empire 8 family. He is an exceptional athletic communications professional and possesses all of the tools to thrive as an administrator,” said Mitrano. “He is uniquely positioned for success with his experience at E8 members Elmira and St. John Fisher in addition to his time at RIT when they were conference members. Joe will surely elevate the service to the Empire 8 membership and take our brand to a new level.”
As the associate commissioner, Venniro’s job responsibilities will include handling the E8’s public relations, social media and marketing programs. He will also manage all aspect of the conference’s sports information department and assist with Empire8.tv web streaming. He will oversee the conference’s nationally renowned Conduct Foul Program and serve as Director of E8 Sport Committees. Venniro will be the lead administrator for the E8 SAAC and Sports Information Committee and he will serve as Director of the annual Empire 8 Student-Athlete Summit.
Over the last 15 years, Venniro, along with director Steve Jaynes, made RIT’s sports information department one of the pioneers in the Northeast region in several aspects, including social media.
“I am extremely thrilled to join the Empire 8 Conference as Associate Commissioner. The excitement of working alongside our member institutions along with getting to know and feature the Empire 8’s brilliant student-athletes is something I’m really looking forward to,” said Venniro.” “I’d like to thank Commissioner Mitrano for this incredible opportunity to help continue the Empire 8’s ascent as one of the top conferences in all of Division III.”
Venniro was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the RIT sports information department, which consisted of two full-time positions, one assistant and 20 student workers. He managed www.ritathletics.com, along with several social media initiatives, and handled all media requests for RIT’s two Division I teams and 22 Division III squads. He was the main media contact for both the Division I men’s and women’s hockey teams in addition to other duties.
In 2014, Venniro won the prestigious Rochester PRism award for his feature story “Part-time Joe, Full-time inspiration” on RIT men’s hockey student manager Joe Vicario.
Venniro arrived at RIT in August 2004 as the university’s sports information assistant. In 2005, he was promoted to assistant sports information director, holding that position for two years before becoming the associate sports information director in 2007. In 2009, Venniro was promoted to sports information director, serving four years in that role before becoming the executive director.
Prior to arriving at RIT, Venniro served as a graduate assistant at Elmira College, serving as the sports information assistant from 2002-04. While at Elmira, he overhauled the college’s athletics website, record books, and media guides. He was the main contact for the 2003 NCAA Division III Women’s Ice Hockey Championship, held at the Murray Athletic Center.
In 2004, Venniro was the recipient of Elmira’s Paul Brand Athletics Staff Award, given in recognition of a staff member who, through initiative and effort, has a positive impact upon the Athletics program as well as the College. He is the lone graduate assistant to ever win the prestigious award.
A 2002, graduate of St. John Fisher College, Venniro graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in communications/journalism. He spent the 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons as an intern and student worker in the sports information office under Norm Kieffer. Venniro received his master’s degree in education from Elmira in 2004.
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit www.empire8.com and https://youtu.be/wzL4HcDoUUQ