Salem resident, athletic enthusiast, and retired area business owner Greg Eide will take over as the new Director of Athletics at Corban University on a full-time basis starting July 1st.
Retired Business Leader Named as Director of Athletics at Corban University
SALEM, Ore. – For decades, Salem resident and athletic enthusiast Greg Eide made a difference in his community through his businesses and as a coach.
On July 1, he will use his business experience and relationships in the sports community to make a difference for Corban as the school’s new Director of Athletics.
Eide is currently the athletic director at Scio High School, where he helped secure private donations to help rebuild the school’s aging athletic fields. Although he has been a lifelong sports enthusiast, he made a career as a Salem area CPA and as the former owner of Thomas Kay Textiles.
Eide grew up in nearby Mill City, but graduated from McNary High School in Salem. He graduated from Seattle Pacific University in 1977 with a business degree in accounting. During the 1980s and 90s he was a partner in Harris and Eide CPAs, an accounting firm in Salem. In 1990, Eide and his business partner Don Harris purchased Thomas Kay Textiles and helped expand the company into one of the industry leaders in the Pacific Northwest. In 1998, Eide purchased Harris’ share in Thomas Kay and operated the company until he sold the company and retired in 2007.
“This wasn’t a hard decision for me,” he said. “Back when I was at Seattle Pacific I intended to become a PE teacher and basketball coach, but ended up getting a business degree.
“I’ve been a regular at most of the high schools’ athletic events and have been known to stay for half of one game and finish the last half of a game at a different school,” he added. I’ve always had a passion for sports and competing.”
Eide has served as a boys and girls basketball coach at both South and West Salem High Schools. He was also the girl’s golf coach at West Salem and coached Ashlee Pickerell, who earned an exemption to play in the LPGA Safeway Classic as a junior in high school in 2011.
As Corban’s Director of Athletics, Eide plans to blend his business and athletic experiences to help grow the University’s athletics program. Additionally, he will serve a pivotal role in the expansion of Corban’s athletics facilities.
“It’s very exciting for me to come in at this stage in Corban’s history,” Eide said. “I’m so impressed by the quality of coaches and staff here. I may be here to provide leadership, direction and vision, but I really see my role here as one of support. If I can use my experience and skills to help each of their programs be successful, then Corban Athletics will be successful as a result of that. Our pursuit of excellence will be from the entire athletics program.”
Although Eide and his wife, Debbie, were intending to retire to a life of leisure and golf, he said both are glad to continue to serve in Salem.