Nov. 28, 2006

Duquesne University Director of Athletics Greg Amodio recently announced that Bob Derda has been named Associate Athletic Director for External Relations. Derda brings 20-plus years of sports sales and marketing experience to Duquesne, including 18 years working with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

"I am very pleased to announce the addition of Bob to our staff," said Amodio. "He has an exceptional track record in ticket sales and marketing and is an ideal fit for Duquesne athletics."

A 1981 graduate of Duquesne with a bachelor's degree in journalism, Derda began his professional career as a sales representative for the Pirates where after two years he became the Director of the Pirate Diamond Club. He then accepted a position as Director of Sales and Marketing for the Pirates, heading ticket sales, corporate ticket programs and a staff of nearly 70 sales representatives.

In 1995 Derda accepted a position as Vice President of the Sports & Entertainment Division for Direct Advantage Marketing and moved on to Director of Marketing for International Sports Marketing in 1997.

After marketing stints with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Clear Channel Communications in the late 90's, Derda returned to the Pirates in 2001 as the Director of PNC Park Events and was promoted to Director of Sales in 2005. Most recently in 2006, he oversaw the ticket sales department that reached the fifth highest single season attendance in the 120-year history of the Pittsburgh Pirates and headed the events department that hosted over 300 non-baseball events at PNC Park and doubled its revenue goal in 2006.

Derda was also a sales consultant for the National Basketball Association and is an adjunct instructor in the A.J. Palumbo School of Business Administration. He is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Sports Leadership at Duquesne.

Derda, his wife Colleen and their three children reside in the Regent Square section of Pittsburgh.