University of Alabama Senior Deputy Director of Athletics Retires

A longtime University of Alabama Athletics staff member is retiring.

Senior Deputy Director of Athletics Finus Gaston's retirement was announced Thursday evening by Jeff Allen, the Director of Sports Medicine at the university.

Gaston and his family are well-known to Alabama Athletics, both working there while he was growing up. His father was a Sports Information Director and his mother worked for Tide Pride.

As a Tuscaloosa native, Gaston graduated from Tuscaloosa County High School in 1969 and the University of Alabama in 1973, proceeding to go on and earn his Masters and Doctorate Degrees, both from the Capstone. While he was an undergraduate at the university, he worked as Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant's football manager.

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According to RollTide.com, "His duties as the Senior Deputy Director of Athletics and Chief Financial Officer encompass management of ticketing and TIDE PRIDE, the athletics business office, football administrative oversight, event management, flight operations, information technology, Crimson Tide Foundation Chief Financial Officer, human resources, contract negotiations and administration, long-range strategic planning, team travel for all sports, capital projects and general maintenance of facilities and grounds associated with athletics."

Since starting his professional career with the Tide in 1996, Gaston also served as Assistant Vice President for Auxillary and Support Services and worked one year as an interim Athletic Director.

"Thank you Finus," said Jeremy Gsell, Director of Football Rehabilitation at UA, via Twitter. "It won't be the same around here without you."

There has been no word on a replacement as of now.