The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- September 28, 1998

Association wide -- NCAA staff changes announced

Four individuals have been promoted or assigned to new positions at the NCAA national office.

Bob Fiala has been promoted to director of human resources. Fiala joined the Association's staff earlier this year as a human resources coordinator after 10 years with General Motors/Hughes Electronics Corporation. Fiala has an undergraduate degree from Biola University and a master's degree from the University of Southern California.

Fiala replaces Suzanne Kerley, who has been appointed director of the NCAA 2000 transition to the new national office in Indianapolis. Kerley has served as director of human resources since 1997. She joined the staff in 1987, previously having worked for MCI Telecommunications and Alexander & Alexander, an insurance agency. She is a graduate of the University of Kansas.

Jeffrey S. Hiller, previously senior assistant director of the Hall of Champions, has been promoted to director of the Hall of Champions. Before joining the NCAA, Hiller was an assistant equipment coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs for six years. He has a bachelor's degree from Arizona State University and a master's degree from Kansas.

David A. Knopp, currently director of membership services, has been selected as director of corporate marketing, replacing Alfred B. White, who became commissioner of the Southern Conference earlier this year. Knopp joined the staff in 1987 as a legislative assistant. He was promoted to his current position in 1989. Among other things, Knopp has played a major role in the implementation and maintenance of the Division I athletics certification program. Before coming to the NCAA, Knopp was manager of account administrative services in the trust department of the Northern Trust Company in Chicago. He is a graduate of Lawrence University and has a master's in sports administration from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Also, Rebecca Wempe has resigned her position as administrator for the NCAA Committees on Infractions.

Wempe worked with the Divisions I and II Committees on Infractions and the Division III Infractions and Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee in the administration of major infractions cases.