U Sports has appointed former University of Regina athletic director Dick White as its interim chief executive officer.
U Sports is the national governing body of university sport in Canada.
“I am pleased to take on this role and am committed to working with our teams and membership in navigating the current environment and positioning the Canadian university sport delivery system to achieve best-case outcomes,” White said.
“I strongly believe U Sports will further its important role as a progressive facilitator and advocate for university sport and to advance future opportunities for athletes.”
White has decades of experience in Canadian university sport, most recently as the director of athletics at the University of Regina, along with leadership roles on a volunteer basis with Canadian athletics organizations.
“Dick White has been highly involved with U Sports over the years through several leadership positions with our board and its supporting committees and brings tremendous knowledge of the organization and our mandate,” Pierre Arsenault, vice chair, U Sports board of directors, said.
“He is also particularly well-equipped to help navigate the unprecedented COVID-19 environment and its profound impact on university athletics.”
White takes over after the departure of president and chief executive officer, Graham Brown, a position he held since October 2015.
“I would like to thank U Sports for the honour of serving as president and CEO for the past five years. During this time, I was fortunate to lead a team of committed and talented staff members and to work with a board of senior leaders whose commitment to university sport was deeply appreciated,” Brown said.
“I am proud of our progress in transforming our organization, through the rebrand from CIS/SIC to U Sports, and in heightening stakeholder awareness across Canada and internationally. I transition from the role of president and CEO of U Sports with pride and gratitude. I would also like to thank my colleagues in the office and across the country for their support, patience and many contributions. I wish them, and the organization the best of success in the years ahead.”
U Sports’ board of directors thanked Brown for his commitment to university sport in Canada over the course of the last five years. During this time, the organization has evolved and grown, particularly with advances in its digital platforms, such as U Sports Central, to increase organizational effectiveness and the organizational rebrand that has set the stage for an ongoing and continuous transformation of university sport in Canada.
