Paul C. Richards, director of public communications at Brigham Young University for the past 13 years, is leaving the university to pursue other interests.
Richards confirmed Tuesday that he is taking an early retirement and will leave his post sometime later this year, depending on how quickly the university selects a new director.Ron G. Hyde, executive assistant to President Rex E. Lee for development and university relations, will head the selection committee.
"I have thoroughly enjoyed my years at BYU but feel it is time to do several other things which I have wanted to do for a long time," Richards said.
Richards, 55, who is a private pilot and has long been interested in aviation, said his immediate plans are to obtain certification as an aircraft mechanic, although he may not pursue a career in the field. His interest in aviation was sparked by his father, who was a pilot in World War II and later flew for United Airlines.
"It is a hobby," Richards said. "It is something that comes naturally to me. I find great satisfaction in working in a field that requires manual skill together with intellectual exercise."
Richards also hopes to do some writing eventually as well as explore other "opportunities for development."
Richards describes his job as "trying to interpret to the media what the university is doing and to the university what media people want to know."
"This is an extremely interesting job," Richards said. "It is a job that concentrates on dealing with problems, and I have to say I've enjoyed that aspect of it. It's invigorating and challenging."
Richards served as university spokesman for three university presidents: Dallin Oaks, Jeffrey R. Holland and Lee.
"I've often said I should be paying BYU tuition because of the education I've received in seeing different administrative styles and organizational responses to those styles," he said.
A notable challenge Richards faced as the university's spokesman was dealing with protests against the school's Jerusalem Center in 1985-86.
Demonstrations by Israelis who opposed construction of the center, including a protest at the Wailing Wall, attracted international media attention. Richards accompanied then-President Holland to Israel to assist him in responding to the worldwide attention.
"We saw a negative image turn to a rather positive image concerning the center," Richards said.
Richards also witnessed another change at BYU: When he was a student at the school, the football team never won a game.
"If we came close, it was considered a moral victory," he said.
But over the past decade he watched - and helped spread the word - about the coaching tenure of LaVell Edwards and the Cougars. Success on the football field brought recognition not only to BYU, but to Provo and the state, Richards said.
"There was a time I had to explain where BYU was and what it was," he said. "I don't have to do that any more."