CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A cluttered office on the second floor of the James H. Barnhardt Center is filled with a treasured collection of Charlotte 49ers Athletics memorabilia.
For 37 years, Thomas E. Whitestone has chronicled the history of the 49ers' success from the school's media relations department. Since 1987, it has been the only full-time job he had.
"Tom Whitestone's career has been resolutely dedicated to the Charlotte 49ers, and he has represented this program with the utmost class, dedication, and humility," according to Athletics Director Mike Hill. "He always puts people first, pouring into others and building authentic relationships that will endure long after his final days in the office. We will miss his wisdom, influence, easy-going smile, and encyclopedic recall of this program's history. What an absolute honor it has been to work alongside Tom, and we wish him great happiness in this well-deserved next phase of his life."
"I was lucky to land in such a wonderful place to work, develop and grow," he said, "…so many cool things going on back then — and plenty of fun."
"Back then" was the summer of 1987, when I met Tom in Portland, Oregon, site of that year's College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Convention. I was Charlotte's media relations director, and while in Portland I interviewed candidates for an opening in our department.
Tom stood out. I found him genuine, easy-going, and our conversation flowed. I was looking for someone with strong writing skills, wit, and the ability to collaborate closely with me over long hours in a cramped office in Belk Gym.
Requirements for the job did not include the uncanny ability to spew movie quotes from such classics as "Arthur" or "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," but Tom could. He also knew an array of lyrics to popular songs, he wrote poetry, and had played college soccer at Brandeis.
I found Tom to be a well-rounded young man who came from a great family in Dalton, Mass.
Now, why was he interested in a job at UNC Charlotte?
It may have been because I advertised the job opening as Assistant Sports Information Director instead of internship. I will not share the salary for fear Human Resources will retroactively fine the Athletics Department for the paltry salary. But suffice it to say, I had a great pool of candidates.
Over a good beverage and above loud music at a small music venue, I got to know Tom and hoped he would take the job.
He made it clear he wanted to feature his writing, to record and archive the accomplishments of student-athletes and coaches, stories that would grace the pages of hometown newspapers, which would fill high school trophy cases, and would create keepsakes they would blush about decades later.
"We were lucky to attract him and luckier to hold onto him! A consummate professional," praises Judy Rose, Athletic Director Emerita, who worked with Tom from 1987-2018. "He always has the student-athletes best interest at heart. He has a way of making bad situations appear fixable with a calm demeanor, even with coaches after a tough loss. Several phrases come to mind about him: Trustworthy, Dry Wit, a Problem-solver, a Family Man. And he bleeds green as if he was a Charlotte alum! Someone else will be hired to do his job but he leaves difficult shoes to fill."
He would be the missing piece in an office where records were kept on typewriters with sheets of paper run through mimeograph machines, then stencil burners, then 4–6-minute telecopiers, then rolling fax paper, and ever the weekly news releases sometimes 400 deep in mailing lists that were seemingly late before they were mailed. Files became piles and piles filled every file cabinet we could find.
Stories developed from those records, the wins, and the setbacks. Tom mastered the art of pivoting in the techno-driven world of social media, emails, instant news, and the Internet. The old typewriter became a bulky computer then a laptop, pay telephone booths on the road became "bag phones", then cell phones and watches, Beta tapes once air-mailed in advance of games for coaches' shows were now quickly envisioned and delivered through digital live video conferences.
He navigated the office of sports information as the director and then Associate Athletic Director for almost four decades. News was no longer daily but up-to-the-minute. Everything became instant, yet he never wavered. He adapted. Instantaneous social media likes, dislikes, and more, the redefined newspaper print phased out. Everything changed. He remained unflappable.
In his career, he has announced coaching hires with aplomb, said goodbye to coaches who moved on, celebrated conference titles and NCAA Tournaments, deftly managed conference moves from The Metro to Conference USA 1.0, to the Atlantic 10, to C-USA 2.0, and now The American Athletic Conference. Oh, and the introduction of football in 2013. It changed everything. But for Tom, it was one more pivot. He gave everything to a profession that has seen promising candidates walk away from long hours, impatient fan bases, those wanting more.
He met his wife Kim in Belk Gym and together they enjoyed watching their children Sammy and Allie grow up 49er fans, with Allie a junior on the campus.
In 2020, the Charlotte 49ers Student-Athlete Advisory Committee honored Tom with the "Lifetime Achievement Award" for "his passion, all his hard work, effort and dedication on behalf of current and former 49ers student-athletes, coaches and staff."
I had to dig that up. Tom never highlighted himself!
More than any one person in Charlotte 49ers Athletics, Tom delivered sports information to a proud fan base. While it was not his responsibility alone, he picked up for those before him and chronicled, archived, celebrated, and wrote 37 years of Charlotte 49ers history in the only way he knows. He prevailed under control, and never wavered.
In one of his final accomplishments, another notch on the tree of 49er sports life, Tom fulfilled his decades-long dream to create the 49ers' Athletics Hall of Fame, guiding the administration skillfully. Once again, those who he wrote about, watched, and cheered for would be honored beyond their playing days. And, one day, it is likely he himself will enter the Hall to applause he never expected, but lifted by those he celebrated all those years.
Tom Whitestone will be retiring effective June 30, 2024.
– Mark Colone, SID/Assistant AD, 1983-1998, with help from Harry Pickett
Let us hear from a few of those who worked with him:
"I was Deputy Sports Editor in 2019 when I retired from The Charlotte Observer after 32 years with the newspaper. For 23 of those years, I oversaw the college sports coverage for schools throughout the Carolinas. For much of Tom's career at Charlotte, I was his contact at the newspaper. Let's just say we sparred a few rounds over the years. Every day, Tom fought for more exposure for his 49ers. And I never once resented him for his persistence. He was doing his job. For 36 years, Tom was tireless in championing those student-athletes in north Charlotte. It's hard to imagine anyone more devoted to 49ers Athletics than Tom Whitestone. While he has had a Hall of Fame media relations career, a well-deserved retirement awaits."
- Harry Pickett, The Charlotte Observer, Sports, 1987-2019
"Tom is the epitome of what sports media relations professionals should be: informative, resourceful and responsive. What sets Tom apart is the way he has operated over his career: approachable, thoughtful, and meaningful. Tom also made an art of sports information. Every word he writes is carefully placed - like an artist choosing colors for a palette. I am a better professional (and person) for having worked for and known Tom."
- Jonathan Norman, Senior Director, Tepper Sports & Entertainment, UNC Charlotte Sports Information Student Assistant, 1994-1998
"Thinking back to working in the small, cramped office in the Mine Shaft, it was there I learned so much about sports communications and the PR behind collegiate sports. Tom's a pros pro, a wonderful teacher and one of the best in the sports information field. He taught me more about time management skills, how to multitask, and more. Tom was a mentor to many students. Truly one of the hardest working, most dedicated ambassadors of this great University for over three decades.
"When I returned to the school 10 years later to broadcast Niners basketball, Tom and I were roommates on road trips. The memories, the games, the great wins, we shared them like brothers."
- Matt Swierad, Voice of the 49ers since 2001; Intern, 1990-91
"I am forever indebted to Tom for helping pave a career path for me, twice. I first met Tom as a student employee in the Charlotte athletic media relations office as a freshman, then I was fortunate to be hired as a full-time employee several years later in the same office.
"His steady leadership, mentorship and guidance over the years has been impactful as I served in the same field for over 25 years. He taught me the nuts and bolts, but at the same time, gave me the independence to grow and learn in all areas. I was one of many who thrived under him."
- Travis Woods, Student Assistant, 1997-2001; Assistant Sports Information Director, 2012-21
