James Companion Position: Associate Commissioner Institution: Big South Conference

James F. Companion, Jr. is the Big South Conference's associate commissioner. He is responsible for overseeing all areas of marketing and promotions for the League. Since joining the Conference in 1997, Companion has secured corporate partnerships with regional and national marketers such as Advance Auto Parts, Alltel, Gatorade, US Airways and General Motors. Companion's work has resulted in a corporate sponsor base unparalleled in League history, allowing the Conference's growing television package to be self-sustaining.

Before joining the Big South, Companion performed selling and marketing functions for television, radio, print, signage and corporate partnerships with Host Communications Inc. for the University of South Carolina's athletics department. Additionally, he assisted in the coordination of the state-wide television and radio networks, directed game-day promotional activities, and created a corporate partner marketing program for Team Gamecocks, South Carolina's student-athlete community service organization. Prior to his position at Host, Companion served as the assistant director for athletics marketing & promotions at Davidson College.

A native of Wheeling, W.Va., Companion received his bachelor's degree in economics in 1994 from Denison University. While at Denison, he was a three-year letterman in baseball and a North Coast Athletic Conference Baseball All-Conference honoree in 1993. He later received a master's degree in sports administration and facility management in 1995 from Ohio University. In 1995, Companion utilized his baseball talents as a bullpen catcher for the AAA Charlotte Knights, after spending two seasons with the AAA Columbus Clippers.

Companion resides in Charlotte, N.C., with his wife, the former Kimberly Bennett, and their two children, daughter, Bennett Louise, and son, James F. Companion, III.