Jim Phillips Position: Director of Athletics Institution: Northwestern University

Courtesy of Northwestern University

James J. Phillips became Northwestern's 21st director of intercollegiate athletics and recreation on April 14, 2008, bringing with him a track record of success at the Division I level and a commitment to the values Northwestern always has maintained in collegiate athletics.

One of 10 children from a middle-class family, Phillips, who grew up in the Portage Park neighborhood on the northwest side of Chicago, is the perfect fit to head up Northwestern's 19-sport program in the nation's No. 3 market. Phillips' first sport season with the Wildcats came during the second half of Northwestern's traditionally strong spring. Phillips was on board when women's lacrosse won its fourth-consecutive national championship, women's tennis finished No. 2 in the national polls after capturing their record 10th-straight Big Ten title and softball won both the Big Ten regular season and tournament crowns in the same year for the first time. In addition, the Wildcats earned four ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District and two Academic All-America accolades. Forty-six student-athletes were named Academic All-Big Ten during the spring of 2008.

Prior to arriving in Evanston, Phillips served as Northern Illinois' athletic director for four years beginning in 2004. During that time, the Huskies had unprecedented athletic success and consistent academic achievements. On July 1, 2006, Phillips was promoted to associate vice president, in addition to his director of athletics title, after already being recognized by his peers in the Mid-American Conference with his selection to serve as chairman of the MAC Athletic Director's Council. He also was a member of the NCAA Women's Basketball committee during his time in the MAC.

A 1990 graduate of the University of Illinois, Phillips started his career as a manager and student assistant in Illinois' athletic department. He earned a master's degree in education at Arizona State University while serving as a graduate student and as a restricted earnings basketball coach during a period in which the Sun Devils reached the postseason in five-straight years.

Phillips also holds a Ph.D. in educational administration from Tennessee, which he completed in the summer of 2007. Phillips served as an assistant athletics director with the Volunteers until 2000. He directed a $12.4 million annual athletics giving program, and was directly responsible for identifying, cultivating and soliciting all major gifts and donations for the Volunteer athletic program. He aided in originating the first-ever capital campaign for athletics at UT that raised over $50 million for endowments, facilities and programs. In addition, he had supervisory duties over athletic programs and a variety of other areas.

Phillips then moved to the University of Notre Dame in 2000, where he served as associate director of athletics and senior associate director of athletics for external affairs. During 2002-03, he helped launch the Rockne Heritage Fund, which became the first athletics annual fund that directly benefited student-athlete grant-in-aid scholarships. In addition, he managed the ticket office, various corporate sponsorships, athletic programs and a weekly Irish radio show. At the same time, Phillips played an integral part in the funding of a new $24-million, 96,000-square foot athletics facility.

At Notre Dame, Phillips directed all phases of the athletics community relations program and helped develop new institutional and departmental advancement programs.

Phillips and his wife, Laura, have four children: Luke, Madeleine, Meredith and John Patrick.