A proud graduate of Northern Iowa and a former coach at Ottumwa Heights College, Bullis arrived at UC Davis in 1977, working for the great Gary Colberg as an associate director for intramural sports. In 1988, Larry Swanson hired Bullis over to the intercollegiate athletics side of the house. This began a 21-year career with ICA, first as a business manager, then as an associate athletics director, and finally as a senior associate until Bullis’ retirement in 2009.
That span represents one of the most critical periods in the history of UC Davis athletics, particularly from Bullis’ standpoint of business and operations. The coaching staff nearly doubled from the late 1980s to the start of the Division I era. New varsity sports arrived on the scene as the university continued to serve as an example for Title IX compliance.
As business manager, Bullis developed a budget process that could meet the needs of this rapidly growing athletics department. During his tenure, the UC Davis students passed four different initiatives in support of ICA: the Student Services Maintenance Fee (1993), the Student Activities & Services Initiative (1994), the Facilities And Campus Enhancement Initiative (1999), and the Campus Expansion Initiative (2003).
That third measure, known as FACE, particularly impacted Bullis’ role as the department’s facilities manager. He supervised the Aggie Stadium project from its initial concept to its 2007 grand opening. It was one of many capital projects Bullis oversaw in his career, along with donor-backed improvements to the Dobbins Baseball Complex, the Marya Welch Tennis Center, the ICA weight room, and other venues.
In addition to his role as CFO and facility manager, Bullis supervised seven sports and ran all event management operations. His work ethic and attention to detail was a major factor in UC Davis’ hosting numerous NCAA postseason events during the 1990s and 2000s. Bullis also served as the de facto director of football operations, years before that role became an official full-time position in the department.
Incredibly, Bullis found time early in his career to moonlight as a collegiate basketball official, which he did for some 25 years. Even after his retirement, he continues to work Aggie basketball, football and gymnastics events as a volunteer.
