TheWolverine.com - Athletic Director Bill Martin to retire in 2010

October 21, 2009

Chris Balas
TheWolverine.com Senior Editor

Michigan athletic director Bill Martin, U-M's athletic director since Aug. 1, will retire in 2010, President Mary Sue Coleman announced in a statement Oct. 21. Martin will step down the day Michigan opens with Connecticut during the rededication of the newly renovated Michigan Stadium.

Michigan's facilities have undergone significant upgrades on Martin's watch, including a new football practice facility and the $226 million Michigan Stadium renovation, and the Board of Regents recently approved a basketball practice facility, to be completed in 2010. He's hired two basketball coaches, Tommy Amaker and current head coach John Beilein, a baseball coach in Rich Maloney considered one of the Big Ten's best and current head football coach Rich Rodriguez.

"This morning, Bill Martin sent me a letter announcing his intention to retire on September 4, 2010," Coleman said in a statement. "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."

Martin has long been rumored to be targeting 2010 as his retirement date. Coleman said she had to talk him into staying through the end of the renovations.

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. 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.

Martin took over the department on an interim basis in spring 2000 following Tom Goss's firing and accepted the job full time that fall.

"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," said Coleman. "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."

Coleman added she'd lead the search for a new athletic director with the help of a small advisory group .

"We expect this process will take a number of months," Coleman said. "With this advance notice, we have the opportunity to make a thoughtful and deliberate choice and to manage a smooth transition."

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