Sixteen years after taking over as the athletic director at Grand Valley State University, Tim Selgo is getting a promotion.

That promotion is not taking place at GVSU though, but within the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. Announced during the organization’s mid-winter meetings, Selgo will become the organization’s third vice president.

“I’m very honored and very humbled,” said Selgo, who graduated from the University of Toledo in 1980. “I was asked to be on the executive committee about a half-dozen years ago and so I did serve a term on the executive committee, and have since served on some of the smaller, individual committees.”

Selgo’s involvement with NACDA has stemmed from the success experienced by GVSU’s athletic program under his watch. Along with eight-consecutive Learfield Sports Directors’ Cups, the athletics program has won 13 of 18 Presidents’ Cups as the top program in the GLIAC.

“I think my involvement there in planning for our organization has gotten me to this point where I think they felt like I’ve been very involved in and supportive of NACDA,” Selgo said. “With the success of the programs here, I think they felt I’d be a good representative for them.”

While he will take over as third vice president after the 2012 convention in June, his path won’t end there. He will still maintain his position as athletic director here at GVSU, but after a year in his current position, Selgo will move on to second and first vice president positions before taking over as NACDA president in 2015-2016.

“It’ll be great for Division II, great for GVSU because it kind of celebrates him as a leader, not only for the great leader he’s been for us, but for being seen as a leader all along the country,” said Keri Becker, GVSU associate athletic director. “With the Division II philosophy we have, he can take some of that philosophy and try to spread it among our Division 1 colleagues.”

That philosophy is something that is a rarity in the NACDA. Selgo will be the first non-Division I athletic director to eventually be the president since Colby College’s Bill Rohr in 1975-76.

“I think it’s a great honor that they recognize his ability and what he can bring to the table at that level in terms of experience and knowledge of college athletics,” Becker said. “It’s not something that Division II athletic directors have been a part of, it’s a testament to his knowledge base that he’s gained over the last decade.”

Selgo is excited to begin the opportunity and with experience as an officer, which entailed working with the executive committee — a larger body — along with planning for and structuring the annual NACDA convention in June.

“Hopefully I can bring some good experience to the table for our professional organization,” said Selgo, who coached Toledo’s women’s basketball team from 1985-88. “The essence of the organization is so that we can all improve as professionals, so hopefully I can provide some leadership in that area to help the folks that are in collegiate athletic administration develop.”

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