Al Shrier is special assistant to Temple University’s athletic director. He also is known as the dean among national college sports information directors, thanks to his 55 years of service to the university.
Shrier graduated from Temple with a journalism degree in 1953. He chose Temple over other job opportunities and went to work in the Athletic Department as sports information director at the urging of Athletic Director Josh Cody. When Ernie Casale became athletic director years later, Shrier moved into business management and served as assistant director of Athletics. Although Shrier officially retired from his position as Temple sports information director in 1995, he returned to the post during the 1995-96 academic year.
The many honors that Shrier has received make him the most decorated collegiate public relations professional in the history of Philadelphia athletics. He is a member of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), Temple University, Philadelphia Big 5, Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Jewish Sports Halls of Fame. Shrier was presented with a CoSIDA Silver Plate for his many years of service to the organization.
He also has been honored by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, the All-American Football Foundation and the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame. Shrier is past president of the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association.
In 2004, his years of dedication to Temple were rewarded as he was immortalized with his own bobblehead doll, making him the first administrator in the history of NCAA athletics to be so honored. The doll holds Shrier’s trademark omnipresent briefcase, whose mysterious contents have been carefully guarded from prying eyes through the years.
Shrier’s current role places him in charge of credentials, media services and hospitality at Temple sporting events. The Media Room at The Liacouras Center – where media members gather before games to mull story angles and after games for comments from coaches and players – is named in Shrier’s honor.