Tom Romaine is entering his third year as Assistant Director for Facilities and Operations for the University of San Diego athletic department. He was recently recognized at USD's first department staff meeting as someone who has gone above and beyond to make USD Athletics a better place. He embodies USD's core values and mission in his daily work with Torero Athletics and does it the USD Way.

"Tom is one of our exemplary members of our Torero Athletics staff," said Shaney Fink, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/SWA. "Besides doing an outstanding job in his role as Assistant Director of Facilities and Operations, he is always looking to take on additional tasks to help make our department a better place. Because he is such a great representative of the USD Way we asked him to take a significant role in the recent head coach search for men's tennis. We knew that candidates would truly understand USD's culture through their interaction with him."

From Ahwatukee, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix, Romaine's first stint at USD was from 2009-2011 where he started as a volunteer and worked his way into a part-time position. After leaving briefly for another position in town, he returned to USD in October of 2013. Now entering his third full-time year, his main responsibilities are to assist in the operation of all Athletic Facilities as they relate to set-up and preparation for events and general event management.

More specific duties include the physical set-up and tear-down of equipment, coordination of load-in & load-out for events, and interaction with Athletic Department Officials in game and practice logistics. He also oversees the scheduling, coordinating, and maintaining of athletic vehicles, as well as maintaining records per California State Law. He assists in coordination of the training and evaluating of student and part-time employees and on-site vendors for event management. He also manages facilities management staff, grounds, and vendors in the maintenance and up keep of athletic facilities.

"Tom is a USD Way Champion if ever there was one," states Josh Lawrence, USD Associate Director of Athletics for Facilities and Operations. "In our role in Facilities and Operations we support our coaches and student athletes through our everyday responsibilities whether it is managing facilities, events, or transportation. Tom takes that to another level in his drive to support our teams in training and competition through his willingness to do whatever is asked to ensure our teams have the opportunity to be as successful as possible. To honor Tom and his outstanding attitude I need to use his favorite hashtag #bangbiscuit! Thank you Tom for all you do!"

Asked what some of his biggest work challenges are, he flashes a big smile and automatically mentions keeping the grass on our fields alive. Additional challenges include scoreboard operations, scheduling conflicts, and staying on top of our team's travel arrangements with vans and buses. His favorite parts about his job are the team atmosphere with his co-workers; USD's family atmosphere, and Alcala Park being a beautiful place to work.

While growing up in Arizona, Tom excelled in football and baseball while attending Mount Point High School. He would go on to play football at the University of Redlands as a fullback from 2005-2009. After graduating with his B.A. degree in Philosophy, he moved to San Diego in hopes of finding some part-time work while he enjoyed living at the beach in a friend's house. Besides his parents, he points to sports for learning the importance of hard work and how to get along with people.

This past spring Tom joined co-worker Joey Smits and some other Torero staff members in playing a key role in USD's success of hosting the NCAA West Regionals for Men's Golf at The Farms Golf Club. More recently he went out of his way to help coordinate daily itineraries for candidates for USD's Men's Tennis Head Coach opening.

"I attended the USD Way workshop, and it really opened my eyes to how we all can make USD a better place," said Tom Romaine. "My philosophy is to think outside the box and to see how I can help outside of my regular job duties. I think that is a good way to approach your job, and we can all make a difference here."

Tom sets a personal goal each school year of getting involved with three to four external events from start to finish. Besides last spring's NCAA Golf Regional, he has also taken a personal interest in helping out each summer with the Perfect Game.

Away from work, the easy-going Romaine notes that he has played golf on-and-off for years, but has really gotten the golf bug over the past two years. I asked if it is okay to beat his boss on the course, and he immediately said, "Of course!"

This past July he got engaged to his fiancée Elizabeth whom he met during his days at the University of Redlands. The couple will tie the knot on January 30th, 2016.