Creamery’s corporate sponsorship of HSU athletics in jeopardy

Originally published in the "3-26-09" issue.

The Humboldt Creamery’s long-standing corporate sponsorship of Humboldt State University athletics may fall by the wayside this summer as a result of problems at the creamery.

For the past 20 years, according to HSU’s Associate Athletic Director Tom Trepiak, the creamery has sponsored the university’s sports program with various levels of donations. In recent years the creamery donated $7,500 annually to the program. In return, the creamery received signage in the Redwood Bowl, the Lumberjack Arena, radio advertising on broadcasts, game ticket packages and the promotion of “Got Milk?” nights.

Trepiak said the sponsorship program in total raises $250,000 for HSU athletics. He called the potential loss of the creamery’s sponsorship “significant.”

“They were a good community partner,” he said. “This just shows you how really far reaching the effects of the troubles are.”

In 2001, according to the minutes from an HSU Academic Senate meeting, former creamery CEO Rich Ghilarducci and HSU alumnus told the senate that sponsorship of athletics has been “a worthwhile and valuable experience” for the creamery.