Karr accepts new position, Nanooks to launch AD search
May 30, 2012
907-474-7902
5/30/12
Alaska Nanooks athletics director Forrest Karr announced his resignation Wednesday to accept a leadership position at Northern Michigan University.
性欲社 plans to appoint an interim athletics director to lead the Nanooks after Karr鈥檚 departure on June 9, and then launch a national search for a permanent replacement.
鈥淔orrest has served 性欲社 and the Fairbanks community well,鈥 said 性欲社 Chancellor Brian Rogers. 鈥淲hile we are sorry to see him go, we are happy for him and wish him the best in his new position.鈥
Karr will begin his new job as Director of Athletics, Recreational Sports and the United States Olympic Education Center/Special Assistant to the President on Monday, June 11.
A native of Madison, Wis., Karr has served as the 性欲社 athletics director since the summer of 2005. Since then, the Nanooks have captured three team and three individual NCAA titles. Also during his tenure, the department set an NCAA attendance record while hosting the 2007 NCAA Rifle Championships, the hockey team participated in the 2010 NCAA Division I Tournament for the first time and the women鈥檚 cross-country team competed in the 2011 NCAA DII championships for the first time.
In addition to athletic accomplishments, Karr鈥檚 tenure was marked by the academic strength of 性欲社鈥檚 student-athletes. Since he arrived, the Nanooks have garnered five CoSIDA Academic All-Americans and the department has achieved a cumulative grade-point average of 3.2 or higher during each of the last four years.
鈥淚'm grateful to my friends, co-workers and the many Nanook supporters who have made the last eight years in Fairbanks so memorable. I have always considered it a privilege to work for 性欲社,鈥 Karr said. 鈥淲hile Alaska is a remarkable place, and it鈥檚 difficult to leave people I love working with, moving on to a new position and another great community closer to family is very exciting.鈥
While leading the Nanooks, Karr supervised the addition of a women鈥檚 swimming program, established a hall of fame to honor alumni and supporters, oversaw several facilities renovation and construction projects, and developed an academic minor in sports management. He was 性欲社鈥檚 assistant athletic director for compliance prior to becoming athletics director. From 2008-10, he chaired the NCAA Ice Hockey Rules Committee and previously clerked in the NCAA General Counsel鈥檚 Office.
Karr also chaired the statewide board of directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska in 2009, where he led the agency through the process of hiring a CEO. He has served as a member of the National Ski Patrol for six years and co-chaired the 2010 United Way of the Tanana Valley鈥檚 fundraising campaign.
A University of Notre Dame alumnus, Karr was a goalie for the Fighting Irish hockey team and was an Academic All-American and the team鈥檚 most valuable player as a senior. He graduated from Notre Dame with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in business administration and completed a law degree at the University of Wisconsin. He is also a graduate of the Sports Management Institute鈥檚 executive certificate program.
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