Michigan AD Bill Martin To Retire Next Year

Copy/Pasted from MGoBlue.com:

Oct. 21, 2009


ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan Director of Athletics Bill Martin has announced that he will retire from his position on Sept. 4, 2010. Martin made the date official this morning (Wednesday, Oct. 21), sending a letter to U-M President Mary Sue Coleman, and then informed the athletic department staff at an all-staff meeting at Cliff Keen Arena.

Martin took over the reins as Director of Athletics officially on Aug. 1, 2000. On March 6 of the same year, he was named interim athletic director by then President Lee Bollinger, replacing Tom Goss. At that time, he was initially given a five-year appointment and announced that his first-year salary was to be donated back to the Michigan Athletic Department.

Martin was the recipient of the 2008 Bobby Dodd Athletic Director Award in recognition of his support and the development of programs that promote student-athlete welfare, helping them become well-rounded students and citizens. In April 2005, he received the United States Olympic Committee General Douglas MacArthur Award, the organization's highest award, honoring his leadership as acting president of the USOC (Feb. 2003-June 2004). He also received the 2005 Humanitarian Award from the Jewish Federation of Washtenaw County, its highest honor, and was named the 2000 Ann Arbor News Citizen of the Year for his service and contributions to the community.

An avid sailor, Martin served as president of the United States Sailing Association, the national governing body of the sport, from 1988-91. In 2003, he was awarded the Nathaniel G. Heereshoff Trophy for outstanding contributions to the sport of sailing in the United States.

Martin earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1962 from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, and a graduate degree in economics from the University of Stockholm, Sweden, in 1963. He received his Master's in Business Administration from Michigan in 1965. Martin was a member of the board of directors of Wittenberg from 1994-2007. He and his wife, Sally, reside in Ann Arbor and have two sons, Seth and Michael. They have one grandson, William Declan, and welcomed granddaughters Cate and Reese this past summer.



Official statement from UM President Mary Sue Coleman:
This morning, Bill Martin sent me a letter announcing his intention to retire on September 4, 2010. For nearly a decade, Bill has shown truly outstanding leadership as Athletic Director at the University of Michigan. He has not only done a superb job of attracting top coaches for the full range of Michigan sports, but he has also assembled an excellent management team to oversee all aspects of athletics operations. At the same time, he has firmly established Athletics as a financially strong and self-supporting department while guiding the renovation and expansion of most of our major sports facilities.

Bill is a great partner, and it has been a joy to work with him. Although he has been interested in retiring for some time now, I am pleased that I was able to convince him to stay with us long enough to ensure that the renovation of our football stadium would be successful and on time. That end is now in clear sight. He has agreed to remain as Athletic Director until his successor is on board, at which point he will serve as a special advisor to me until retiring from the University in September.

I will personally oversee the search for the next Athletic Director with the help of a small advisory group. We expect this process will take a number of months. With this advance notice, we have the opportunity to make a thoughtful and deliberate choice and to manage a smooth transition.

Bill Martin's letter to Coleman (PDF file).

Our take:
We here at MBN would like to congratulate Martin on his success as Michigan's AD. We wish him well in his retirement.

Who Coleman decides to go with as the next AD will be very interesting. I have a feeling, Lloyd Carr's name is on a short list somewhere. Of course this decision will take a while...and will only be discussed behind heavily guarded closed doors.