SENATE MEMORIAL 84

52nd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2016

INTRODUCED BY

Michael S. Sanchez

A MEMORIAL

RECOGNIZING JEFF SIEMBIEDA'S EFFORTS TO PROMOTE NEW MEXICO ATHLETICS AND THE NATIONAL VISIBILITY OF NEW MEXICO AS A VENUE FOR SPORTS.

     WHEREAS, Jeff Siembieda has spent nearly twenty years in New Mexico reporting on, coaching and promoting New Mexico's sports and athletic events; and

     WHEREAS, Jeff Siembieda moved to New Mexico in 1996, when he started work at KOAT-TV as its weekend sports anchor and was promoted to be the channel's sports director in 1997; and

     WHEREAS, in 2001, Jeff Siembieda became vice president of media and entertainment for the New Mexico Scorpions hockey team and within a year, the Scorpions were the marketing envy of their league; and

     WHEREAS, in 2002, Jeff Siembieda returned to broadcast media, serving for three years as KRQE-TV's weekend, and then morning, news anchor; and

     WHEREAS, from 2001 to 2005, Jeff Siembieda also found time to be a basketball coach at Madison middle school in Albuquerque and a summer coach for New Mexico's amateur athletic union boys under fourteen and under fifteen basketball teams; and

     WHEREAS, in 2005, Jeff Siembieda was appointed as deputy director for the then-fledgling New Mexico sports authority and in that capacity worked with the Albuquerque convention and visitors bureau, the university of New Mexico and the ESPN sports network to establish the annual New Mexico bowl; and

     WHEREAS, desiring to use the Zia sun symbol as part of the New Mexico bowl trophy, Jeff Siembieda met with leaders from the Pueblo of Zia and established a relationship that led to pueblo artists creating the most unique game and most-valuable-player trophies in college sports; and

     WHEREAS, since 2006, Jeff Siembieda has been the executive director of the New Mexico bowl for ESPN events and, in 2011, secured the Gildan clothing company as a title sponsor and changed the name to the "Gildan New Mexico Bowl"; and

     WHEREAS, Jeff Siembieda has continued to report on and promote New Mexico sports in general, hosting "the Big Show" on 1310-The Ticket radio channel from 2005 to 2007 and currently hosting "the Opening Drive" on 610-the Sports Animal radio channel; and

     WHEREAS, Jeff Siembieda has also been active in various charity organizations over the years, in particular as a board member for the Presbyterian ear institute and received the city of Albuquerque's ambassador award in 2007;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that Jeff Siembieda be recognized for his years of work developing New Mexico athletics and promoting the visibility of New Mexico's sporting events.

- 3 -