Christopher to become the new AD at BGSU

Greg Christopher will be taking over for Paul Krebs (pictured here), who left in March to become the athletic director at the University of New Mexico. He was the athletic director at Bowling Green for seven years. Krebs was hired at BGSU in March, 1999, after spending 14 years at Ohio State, the fi nal six as senior associate athletic director. In Bowling Green, he led makeovers for several of the school s athletic programs.

Greg Christopher

BOWLING GREEN - Purdue's Greg Christopher will be named the next athletic director at Bowling Green State University, according to people affiliated with the search process at BGSU and Purdue.

Purdue's associate athletic director for external relations, Christopher could be introduced at a news conference tomorrow.

He will replace Paul Krebs, who was hired for the same position at the University of New Mexico in March.

Christopher, 40, could not be reached at his office or at his home in West Lafayette, Ind., but his wife, Tina, said, "We're excited and overwhelmed right now."

Christopher, a West Lafayette native, has worked in the Purdue athletic department since 1997.

Since 1999, he has overseen the John Purdue Club, a fund-raising entity for the athletic department.

West Virginia assistant athletic director Whit Babcock was the other finalist for the position. Babcock interviewed June 2 and Christopher June 5.

"I felt good about the process. I thought it was thorough and fair," Babcock said. "I think the guy they chose will do a good job there.

Greg Christopher will be taking over for <b>Paul Krebs</b> (pictured here), who left in March to become the athletic director at the University of New Mexico. He was the athletic director at Bowling Green for seven years. Krebs was hired at BGSU in March, 1999, after spending 14 years at Ohio State, the fi nal six as senior associate athletic director. In Bowling Green, he led makeovers for several of the school s athletic programs.

"I would have loved to work there, but the process certainly gave me a good experience for the future."

Christopher received a bachelor's degree in mass communication from Miami University in 1988 and earned his MBA from Miami in 1991.

After he finished his MBA he started working for the Society of Professional Journalists in Greencastle, Ind., as its marketing and development director. In 1994 he was promoted to SPJ executive director.

Christopher started at Purdue as assistant director of the John Purdue Club and was promoted to director in 1999. Purdue gave him the title of assistant AD in 2002 and associate AD in 2005. Consultant Chuck Neinas of Boulder, Colo., identified Christopher as a candidate for the school.

"Coming from the Midwest, BG has a rich athletics tradition, a strong athletic program and certainly is in a good athletic conference," Christopher said earlier this month before his interview at BGSU. "Those were the core areas that attracted me."

Purdue has raised $17.2 million in total giving over the past year under Christopher's leadership. This was likely an important factor in his hiring. The first requirement in BGSU's advertisement for the position opening was "a record of fund-raising success."

Contact Maureen Fulton at:

mfulton@theblade.com

or 419-724-6160.