Northwestern Athletic Director Jim Phillips Made ACC Commissioner

EVANSTON, IL — Northwestern University Athletic Director Jim Phillips will resign to take a job as the next commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference, conference officials announced Monday. Phillips will succeed John Swofford, who earlier this year announced plans to retire in June 2021 after nearly 25 years as ACC commissioner.

Phillips, a native of Chicago's Northwest Side, worked for the Notre Dame athletic department and spent four years as athletic director at Northern Illinois University before he was hired by Northwestern in April 2008 as its athletic director. In 2012, he was given the title of vice president for athletics and recreation.

Phillips said he was humbled by the invitation to lead the ACC. In a release announcing his hiring, he said would always be thankful to Northwestern officials for the opportunity to watch his children grow up in his hometown.

“Serving Northwestern student-athletes, staff and the greater Wildcats family for the last 13 years has been the privilege of my professional life," Phillips said. "My career has been dedicated to the development and betterment of student-athletes, and I am thrilled for this once-in-a-lifetime chance to guide one of the most prestigious and accomplished athletic organizations in the world.”

Philips will take over as commissioner in February. ACC officials pointed to Northwestern's success with fundraising, academics and on-field accomplishments.

Over the past five years, Northwestern has spent more than $500 million on new facilities, including the $270 million lakefront Ryan Fieldhouse and Walters Athletic Center.

For the past two years, Northwestern has led all other NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision schools in its graduation success rate. In the 2019-20 season, the program set a record with 288 Academic All-Big Ten honorees.

Northwestern made nine of its 15 all-time football bowl appearances and its first in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament during Phillips' tenure as athletic director. During that same period, 10 of the university's athletic programs won either conference or national championships, according to the news release announcing his hiring.

Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud, who chairs the ACC's board, said in the release that the conference was lucky to have someone of Phillip's level of skill and integrity in charge at a pivotal moment for college sports.

"Jim is one of the most talented athletic administrators in the country and uniquely qualified to successfully and seamlessly take over the helm of the ACC," Syverud said. "Over the course of nearly 13 years, Jim has elevated and cemented Northwestern's position as an outstanding Power 5 athletics program. Northwestern's ascension in the world of intercollegiate athletics is a testament to Jim's vision, leadership and foundational dedication to the success of student-athletes."

With more than $2 million in total compensation, Phillips was the third highest paid college athletic director in the United States and the best-paid athletic director in the Big Ten Conference for the 2019-20 academic year, according to an annual comparison of athletic director contracts by attorneys from the firm Spencer Fane.

In May, Northwestern announced voluntary pay cuts for some senior university employees as part of efforts to close a projected $90 million budget shortfall. Stadium Network reported Philips took a 10 percent pay cut at the time.