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.