‘Wonder Blunder’ Officials Reinstated

The University of Hawaii has cleared Athletics Director Jim Donovan of any wrongdoing in a bungled benefit concert promoted as featuring Stevie Wonder, and the school has also reinstated Rich Sheriff, general manager of the campus’ Stan Sheriff Center.

Donovan and Sheriff were placed on paid leave after the concert was canceled because it wasn’t authorized by Wonder or his representatives. The university paid $200,000 for a deposit to an unauthorized agency in Florida that claimed it could bring Wonder to Hawaii for cheaper than through his longtime agency, CAA. The university hired local promoter Bob Peyton, who gave the agency $50,000 of his own money.

University Chancellor Tom Apple couldn’t say if anyone would be disciplined and a spokeswoman told Honolulu’s Star Advertiser that the report from a three-week investigation “is not complete; it has not been turned in, submitted and accepted.”

Although Donovan is back on campus, Apple said he did not offer Donovan a contract extension but will give him a three-year deal to work in his office when the current AD contract runs out in March.