UNF Athletics is pleased to announce the start of an exciting partnership with Jacksonville-based CSI Companies, marking the athletic department’s largest collaboration to date. UNF and CSI Companies made a joint public announcement during a press conference at the UNF Arena Tuesday, June 7.
The partnership is a seven-year, $2.1 million agreement that includes facility improvements that will have an impact on all student-athletes across North Florida’s athletics department.
“I could not be more excited to announce this game-changing partnership with CSI Companies,” Director of Athletics Nick Morrow said. “The partnership fits our plan of engaging with local businesses and growing our athletic department to be the best in the ASUN Conference, and a national brand. The CSI Companies agreement is the largest in UNF Athletics history and it will help fund facility enhancements and provide professional development opportunities for our student-athletes. I know I speak for our entire athletic department when I express our appreciation for CSI Companies and their leadership team of Chris, Kate, and Josh.”
Accompanying the partnership is the funding of several UNF Arena projects taking place this summer, including the construction of the Bank of England Hospitality Suite and the replacement of the original UNF Arena floor.
The new floor will be known as CSI Companies Court, and it will feature the CSI Companies’ logo, along with UNF’s navy on the baselines and sidelines. Highlighted in the middle will be the North Florida banner logo and a cutout of the state of Florida with a star symbolizing Jacksonville’s location, and the connection between North Florida and CSI Companies.
“This partnership enhances our commitment to our community and our local college graduates,” CEO of CSI Companies, and 1989 UNF graduate, Chris Flakus said. “Both CSI and UNF are growing rapidly, and together we can help facilitate bigger and better things.”
With its corporate headquarters off Baymeadows Road, just two miles away from UNF’s campus, CSI Companies provides technology-based solutions for leading organizations, assisting with advisory services, strategic solutions, and placing skilled talent.
To date, 37 current CSI employees, at the Jacksonville location, graduated from UNF, and 16 employees are former college athletes, having competed in sports such as soccer, track and field, rowing, basketball, baseball, cheerleading, tennis, golf, volleyball, dance, and football. The partnership not only aims to assist students while attending UNF but after, as they pursue careers.
For more information on the partnership, please tune in to or replay the live stream of the announcement and press conference linked here.
