MARQUETTE -- The search for a new athletic director at Northern Michigan continued today (4/17).
David Diles from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland was in town for a few interviews and concluded the day with a half hour presentation for close to thirty members of the the public and current NMU athletic department personel.
Diles has extensive experience within collegiate athletic departments having served as athletic director at Eastern Michigan University and St. Bonaventure University in Olean, New York.
He also served as an assistant AD with Central Michigan University and Auburn University, plus spent a year as the Director of Public Relations with the New York Jets in 1984.
Diles thinks regionalization is key for NMU athletics but that branding the university starts right here in the Marquette community, "If you are a resident of this area, this community, this region, this is your university" Diles said. "We need to make a dedicated effort for the director and our department to become immersed in the business community in a way that will be productive and for people to know that we are committed in investing in the programs that are important to them as we ask them to be supportive of the programs that are important to us."
Diles also stressed the importance of endowment as a way of investing in each varsity sport at Northern Michigan and keep facilities and teams state of the art.
He went on to say his wife's family has roots in the Iron Mountain area and makes a terrific pasty.
The third and finale athletic department candidate, Sean Johnson from University of North Dakota, will be in town on Thursday (4/19) at 3 p.m.
(Courtesy of NMU Athletics)
Case Western Reserve’s intercollegiate varsity sports teams compete at the NCAA Division III level in the University Athletic Association. Diles has held his current position at Case Western since 2005. His responsibilities include management of intercollegiate sports, as well as academic oversight of the physical education curriculum and staff. Prior to Case Western, Diles was director of intercollegiate athletics from 1999-2005 at NCAA Division I Eastern Michigan University, which competes in the Mid-American Conference. During his tenure there, EMU won 21 MAC titles.
Diles was also the vice president/director of athletics at Division I St. Bonaventure University (1994-99); assistant director of athletics at Auburn University (1991-94) and Central Michigan (1989-91), director of athletics at Dexter (Mich.) Community Schools (1987-89) and administrative assistant in charge of summer camps at University of Michigan (1985-87). He worked in the National Football League as the assistant director of public relations for the New York Jets (1984). Diles holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in sports administration from Ohio University and a doctorate in education from the University of Michigan.
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