COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Former University of Maryland and professional basketball standout, U.S. Congressman and Rhodes scholar C. Thomas (Tom) McMillen has been selected to lead the Division 1A Athletic Directors' Association as part of a major repurposing of that organization.
The Division 1A Athletic Directors' Association, a not-for-profit membership organization comprised of the directors of athletics at the 126 NCAA Division 1A institutions, engages in advocacy, legislative services, business analysis and training for its member athletic directors and their schools.
Jack Swarbrick, vice president and director of athletics at the University of Notre Dame and chair of the 1A Association, made the announcement.
McMillen, who was chosen after a national search, will be a key component in the restructured 1A Association, which will move its headquarters from Dallas, Texas, to Washington, D.C. He is expected to help member athletics directors better navigate the rapidly changing landscape of collegiate athletics as the association expands its mission by providing increased resources in the areas of advocacy, legislative services, business analytics, and professional training.
McMillen replaces Dutch Baughman, the 1A Association's longtime executive director and previously the director of athletics at Oregon State, Virginia Tech, and Furman and also an associate commissioner of the former Southwest Conference.
“Every Division IA institution in the country owes Dutch Baughman a debt of gratitude for his long, dedicated service and the many ways in which this organization has progressed under his guidance,” said Swarbrick.
“The announcement of Tom McMillen represents a significant move to reform the 1A Association. The athletic directors of 1A understand that we must play a bigger role in shaping how we meet the needs of our universities and our students, and the changes in the direction of our association that we are announcing today reflect our commitment to play that role.”
In addition to the hiring of McMillen and the relocation of its offices, the 1A Association amended its bylaws to better reflect its expanded purpose, reshaped its board to provide for broader representation by athletic directors, and re-designated its chief operating officer as president and its volunteer leader as chair.
“I cannot imagine a more qualified person to lead us in these challenging times than someone who has known the highest levels of success as a student and an athlete, served his country in Congress, has experience as a regent at his alma mater, and has run successful businesses. Tom's extensive background and expertise will enable him to become an effective voice for the association's members in the national dialogue about college athletics and an effective strategist for implementing the priorities identified by them,” said Swarbrick.
McMillen has been involved for many years in issues facing college athletics—as a student athlete, a Member of Congress, a founding member of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, and as a regent in the University of Maryland System. About his appointment, McMillen says, “I have always advocated for the student-athlete, and this opportunity will allow me to continue that work. The 126 athletic programs that constitute the Division IA Athletic Director's Association are a powerful force in meeting the needs of student athletes—and we want to do even better in helping those student athletes in the future.”
McMillen currently is chairman and CEO of the investment firm Washington Capital Advisors. He serves as a director of RCS Capital, a full-service investment firm, and of Nexstar Broadcasting Group, a media and broadcast company.
McMillen is the former chairman and current treasurer of the National Foundation on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition. He was the United States Representative for Maryland's 4th Congressional District for three terms. In that role, he championed several intercollegiate athletic reform measures, including the Student Right to Know Act, which required colleges to disclose the graduation rates of its student athletes.
He is a graduate of the University of Maryland, played on the US Olympic basketball team in 1972, and was a professional basketball player for 11 years in the NBA. Appointed to the President's Council on Fitness and Sports in 1970 when he was a high school senior, he was later named co-chairman of the President's Council in 1993, serving through 1997. From 2007 to 2015, he was as a member of the Board of Regents that governs the University of Maryland System. He is also the author of Out of Bounds, a critical look at the influence of sports on ethics.
The Division 1A Athletic Directors' Association has been in operation since 1986 when former Georgia Tech athletics director Homer Rice organized it.
