HUNTSVILLE, Texas — Former Houston Texans President Jamey Rootes will serve as a visiting professor in Sam Houston State University’s Department of Kinesiology, the university announced Monday.
In his new role, Rootes will aid in program development and will concurrently teach at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. In his new position, Rootes will work directly with faculty and students in the Sport Management Program and the Kinesiology department.
"While I can’t say that I have a long track record, I look forward to building upon my skills and integrating in the experiences and knowledge base that I have, in hopes of reaching students and developing the next generation of leaders in the sports industry in this region," Rootes said.
Associate professor and graduate coordinator of the sports management program, said Rootes’ background for a professional sports organization demonstrated an ideal level of professional achievement.”
“Mr. Rootes is a builder. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that will prepare our sport management students for a variety of professional/career opportunities,” Estes said. “He has been a strong supporter of our graduate sport management program for many years and will be an outstanding ambassador for our university. Our students will benefit greatly from his insight and leadership.”
“The culture and the people at Sam Houston state university are very special. It’s a very friendly place, a very welcoming place and that is similar to the city of Houston,” Rootes said.
Prior to his hiring at SHSU and the Texans, Rootes additionally assisted in the launch of Major League Soccer and was the inaugural president and general manager of MLS’ Columbus Crew. He is also a No. 1 international bestselling author with his book, “The Winning Game Plan: A Proven Leadership Playbook for Continuous Business Success.”
“We are thrilled Mr. Rootes is joining the Kinesiology faculty,” Emily Roper, interim dean of the College of Health Sciences said. “He provides the perfect combination of expertise, energy and industry experience that will be of tremendous benefit to our students.”
