President John Fry Elected Chair of Colonial Athletic Association Board of Directors

CAA podium

President John Fry will chair the Colonial Athletic Association Board of Directors for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 academic years.

Drexel University President John Fry has been elected as chair of the Colonial Athletic Association Board of Directors for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 academic years. The Board of Directors is composed of the presidents and chancellors of the CAA’s member institutions.

In addition, Drexel University Director of Athletics Eric Zillmer, PsyD, will serve as chair of the CAA Athletics Directors group, Drexel Senior Associate Athletic Director Laura White will serve as chair of the CAA Senior Woman Administrators group and Kevin Gard, DPT, will serve as Chair of the CAA Faculty Athletic Representatives group for the next two years. Senior Vice President for Student Success Subir Sahu will also be working alongside President Fry.

Fry has served as president at Drexel since 2010. Under his leadership, Drexel has set a national example for the execution of public-private partnerships and become a powerful force for economic development in Greater Philadelphia.

“I am honored to provide leadership to the CAA and my colleagues at institutions that span the geographic footprint from Boston to Charleston, South Carolina. As we navigate what is currently a complicated national landscape of intercollegiate athletics, I am reassured by the fact that we have expectational schools and leaders that make up the CAA,” Fry said.

Sahu oversees multiple areas related to student engagement on campus including: Athletics, Student Life, and the Steinbright Career Development Center. Prior to this position, Sahu served in multiple roles at Drexel, joining the University in 2006.

Zillmer is entering his 22nd year in charge of the Drexel Athletics Department. He was instrumental in the creation of the Drexel Athletics logo, extensive renovations at the Vidas Athletics Complex, the creation of an 84,000 square-foot rec center and securing winning bids to host numerous NCAA Championships.

“This is a great leadership opportunity for Drexel University,” said Zillmer. “We are proud to work with the CAA, one of the nation’s top athletic and academic conferences, to position the league strategically and determine the best course of action going forward. I feel very confident in the team we have assembled. CAA Commissioner Joe D’Antonio, Drexel University President John Fry and Senior Vice President Subir Sahu are outstanding leaders who I have had the privilege of working with closely over the years. Drexel’s Laura White brings excellent operational sports leadership, while Faculty Athletic Representative Kevin Gard has provided many years of steady and compassionate service in his role.”

White is starting her 21st year in administration at Drexel, where she oversees NCAA rules compliance and eligibility, student-athlete welfare and performance and serves as the administrator for many sports teams. She previously was the head coach of the men’s and women’s tennis teams at Drexel.

Gard has worked with Drexel’s student-athletes as a physical therapist since 1999 and provides non-surgical and surgical rehabilitation to Drexel’s athletic teams. He was appointed to the position of Faculty Athletic Representative in 2011 and works to promote academic integrity in intercollegiate athletics.