Saint Leo University President Arthur F. Kirk Jr. has been elected vice-chair of the Division II Presidents Council, while Jill Willson, athletics director at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, has been elected to the same role for the Division II Management Council.

Kirk was chosen at the April 29 meeting of the Presidents Council. Willson was elected April 19 by the Management Council and subsequently ratified by the Presidents Council.

As vice-chair of the Presidents Council, Kirk will head the Division II Budget and Finance Committee. In her new role, Willson also will chair the Division II Championships Committee. Both appointments are effective in September.

Kirk will replace John Keating, chancellor of the University of Wisconsin, Parkside, as vice-chair. Willson will succeed Joan McDermott, athletics director at Metropolitan State College of Denver.

Kirk

Kirk has been president at Saint Leo since 1997. He previously was president of Keuka College, which was listed in Money magazine as one of the 25 best buys for education in small colleges.

He began his administrative career at Kean College before moving to Somerset College. In 1979, he was selected as vice-president at College Misericordia, where he was chief operating officer.

Kirk earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Kean College. His also holds a doctorate from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick.

Willson

Willson is in her third year as athletics director at Texas A&M-Kingsville.

She has been with the program for 12 years, having served as associate athletics director before being named as director. Before her entering administration, she served as women's basketball coach for eight years. One of her teams finished 23-7 and earned a Division II regional appearance.

She is a graduate of West Texas A&M University, where she played basketball for one year before becoming a student assistant coach.