David Brandon named new Michigan athletic director
David Brandon, the CEO of Domino’s Pizza and a former Michigan football player, is replacing Bill Martin as the university’s athletic director, he confirmed in an e-mail to AnnArbor.com.
Brandon's appointment will be effective March 8, pending approval of the university Regents at their Jan. 21 meeting. He is scheduled to be introduced at a staff meeting Tuesday morning.
Brandon, 57 played football under Bo Schembechler, lettering as a defensive end in 1973, and later served as a university Regent.
He was long considered the favorite to replace Martin, who announced his retirement, effective Sept. 4, last October. Martin will work as a consultant once Brandon takes over.
“With his widely acclaimed leadership skills, business acumen, long-term involvement with the university and personal knowledge of the challenges and rewards of being a student athlete, David Brandon is an ideal candidate for athletic director,” Michigan president Mary Sue Coleman said in a statement. “I am confident that he will carry on the tradition of excellence in U-M athletics as we enter a new era.”
Brandon, a political heavyweight who was once considered a candidate for governor, inherits an athletic department on solid footing financially and with mostly modernized facilities, but one facing questions about its storied football program.
The program is under investigation for allegedly violating NCAA rules regarding in- and out-of-season practice time. The NCAA was expected to conclude its investigation by Dec. 31, and any announcement of official charges should be forthcoming.
Coleman has repeatedly declined interview requests about the athletic director search and football coach Rich Rodriguez in recent months. Coleman hired the search firm Spencer Stuart, led by headhunter Jed Hughes, a former assistant coach at Michigan during Brandon's playing days, to assist in the athletic director search.
As a regent, Brandon made a $4 million donation to the university in part to build the new Mott Children's Hospital, and was a supporter of renovating Michigan Stadium.
Dave Birkett covers University of Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at 734-623-2552 or by e-mail at davidbirkett@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
Comments
PortageLkBlu
Wed, Jan 6, 2010 : 11:26 a.m.
Well golly gee boy's and girl's I just sit here scratching my butt, was it RR that showed LLoyd the door yuk,yuk goodness me. Hey there XTR you mentioned Bo, Mo, and LLoyd and 40 years of winning tradition well golly gee XTR tell me again why Mo left Michigan and who hired Mo??? Yea, no doubt about it winning seems to appease you all but there are strings attached lest we forget, wasn't there a team called the fab 5 at Michigan? RR is a winner and we invited him that means you and me. Of course you can jump off the wagon now and expose your character but I will not jump and if after 4yrs. he has shown me he can't do the job well, reassess. You see boys and girls it kills me when I've had to see Mich. beat up on by the bucs. the last?? years let alone state. Seeing Mich. in a bowl game was always part of the holiday for me out here in Ca. but I will not throw my sense of right and wrong or "fair play" out the window just becuase RR hasn't gotten his full compliment of players in place to show ME what he's got. Me thinks some of you have spouted to the point that now you don't want the man to succeed and your at a loss if he does.
clownfish
Wed, Jan 6, 2010 : 9:03 a.m.
"somebody who understands unique role of athletics at Michigan," The role of business? I think Mr Brandon may be well suited to run a business the size of the UM Athletic Dept. What makes him a "Michigan Man"? the check with $560,000 + written on it. I would have hoped that Mr Brandon had enough cash to live on for the rest of his life, what with his million dollar per year earnings selling pizzas, and that UM would have used the "extra" $180K to hire 3 nurses, a couple of PA's or 4 fabricators. Some people that would actually do some good for the citizens of A2.
heartbreakM
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 8:55 a.m.
Congrats to David Brandon. Certainly, he is a "Michigan man" in terms of his long deep association with the U. His Bo ties aren't necessarily a good thing, though--remember Tom Goss was also a Bo guy, a lineman, right? I have concerns about Brandon, and hoped he would not have been chosen. He is such an 'insider' that it may be difficult for him to introduce new ideas to the athletic department. He is really familiar with only one college-institution, and that of course is Michigan. While his record in business is great, the AD position of a university is different--it really combines university life, business, athletics, managemennt, academics. I would have hoped that Michigan would have gone outside of its immediate realm and gotten somebody with Michigan ties--read: somebody who understands unique role of athletics at Michigan, but somebody who has seen the outside world and may bring something else to the job. There are plenty of people they could have tabbed as previously discussed. They could have also raided Stanford which is a model of what they are interested in. Will the Regents really turn on one of their own if trouble comes? After all, Brandon was a Regent not too long ago. Will Mary Sue coleman be so beholden to such a big donor as Brandon that she could not make difficult decision to get rid of him if it didn't work out? Hope it's the right choice, but I am a bit skeptical.
David Briegel
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 7:54 a.m.
Do we get pepperoni with that in 30 min or less?
KeepingItReal
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 7:33 a.m.
Will we know who the other candidates were?
vi4mi4
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 7:18 a.m.
uh Dave, tell r.r. to lost that red wristband by spring practice. Ban The Red Wristband! Go Blue! v
XTR
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 7:05 a.m.
Portage, Not because RR accepted 5 million in 2 seasons from UM means that he is considered a Michigan Man. If RR wants to be considered a true blue Michigan Man, he should not subject the UM program to ridicule and shame by disrespecting tradition, losing games, allegedly violating NCAA rules. Not unless he makes blue nation proud of their program, RR will never be considered a Michigan Man. Bo-Mo-Lloyd, 40 years of winning tradition. After Lloyd left, RR had 2 straight losing seasons, last place in the Big Ten. RR seems more of a OSU-MSU-ND Man than a Michigan Man.
Craig Lounsbury
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 6:44 a.m.
He seems like a reasonable candidate to me. Time will tell if a Peter Principle comes in to play.
InsideTheHall
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 6:32 a.m.
Perfect choice. Brandon combines business acumen with an understanding of the Michigan culture and traditions. MSC has made a sage choice.
DMoney01
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 5:59 a.m.
Hey PortageLkBlu. Don't take this the wrong way; however, the program didn't need to be 'turned around' until the end of RR first year here. I recall that we (UofM) won a bowl game (beat Florida) the year before RR took over. Look, the guy needs to win. That's it. Just Win. Stop pointing fingers. Stop explaining how things are not perfect. Stop blaming young men & kids for not performing. Just win and most complaints will go away.
PortageLkBlu
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 4:43 a.m.
Mitch, you are right on the money on this one. I don't get this Michigan man stuff. Bo was not a Michigan man until he signed his first pay check same with LLoyd. It simply remains to be seen if the guy can do the job that he's payed to do. LLoyd could very easily have been a Notre Dame man just depended on the politics and paycheck. Do you think Brandon is so stupid as to march right in and fire RR? In the first place RR has not had enough time to turn this program around he will get at least 2 more years. Whether any of you like it or not once RR signed that paycheck he became a,"Michigan Man" just like Bo.
BlueInBama
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 4:36 a.m.
Hey Mitchie, Bo was a Republican.... has nothing to do with Michigan tradition.
XTR
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 2:09 a.m.
The NCAA violation is the last straw. RR tore down and disrespected tradition, plus he tore down tradition more by having 2 losing seasons, 2 bowless seasons plus an NCAA violation investigation. Fire that WVU guy and hire a Michigan Man.
InRichRodWeTrust
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 2:05 a.m.
One of the most important to being a Michigan Man is being loyal,which means he will give RichRod time.
tomhagan
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 1:28 a.m.
tater...lol that Pizza Bowl comment is funny, the best thing you've ever written here. :)
tomhagan
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 1:26 a.m.
First order of business for Mr. Brandon: After the NCAA investigation comes out, fire Rich Rod. Get the F Ball program back to glory. Go Blue!!!!!!!!
BlueInBama
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 1:17 a.m.
Hehehehe. RRod's seat just got a little hotter...
sam
Mon, Jan 4, 2010 : 11:59 p.m.
this is great news a michigan man with michigan ties