Bay High Athletic Director Cullison resigns

PANAMA CITY — Mike Cullison resigned as Bay High School’s athletic director, effective Friday, Bay Principal Billy May confirmed.

Cullison cited time away from his family, which had not relocated to Panama City, as a contributing factor in his decision. Cullison had been traveling from Panama City to the Orlando area much during his short tenure, May said.

“When he was spending a lot of time on the road we saw it coming,” May said. “We wish coach Cullison the best and we’re sorry it didn’t work out.”

May said Bay football coach Jimmy Longerbeam has assumed athletic director duties for an “unspecified time.” Longerbeam expressed interest in doing both jobs when he was hired as football coach this summer, but May said he is hesitant to add those responsibilities to a head coach. Bozeman’s Loren Tillman is the only football coach in Bay County who also serves as AD on a full-time basis.

“I think it’s a little too much to ask for the football coach,” May said. “But if he’s interested, I’ll listen to him.

“It’s about finding the right guy here at Bay for the long term.”

Cullison, 52, was hired as AD in August and replaced Glenn Manley, who resigned in May. Cullison came to Bay after resigning as football coach in Seminole County following the use of a racial slur and subsequent investigation. Cullison went through a committee that included four black community leaders before interviewing for the vacant football job at Bay.

The committee approved Cullison for the football interviewing process. Longerbeam was chosen as Bay’s football coach and Cullison was named AD a month later.