Bill Beekman
Bill Beekman officially assumed the role of MSU’s 19th athletics director on July 17, 2018. He was appointed interim athletic director by MSU interim president John Engler on Feb. 5 before taking over the position full time.
Beekman is responsible for oversight of MSU’s 25 varsity sports teams as well as the care of more than 700 Spartan student-athletes. The position provides leadership in the areas of sports management, game operations, financial administration, personnel, fundraising, corporate interaction, facility management, marketing and communication.
“Leading the proud tradition of Spartan athletics is a great honor,” Beekman said. “Since I stepped in as interim athletic director, my focus has been the health, safety and education of our student athletes. My job, and the job of our department, is to give them the tools and support they need to be successful on the field, successful in the classroom and, most importantly, successful in life after they leave MSU. Spartan athletics has a championship history, and we will continue to chase those championship dreams, doing so with integrity and always striving to improve.”
An MSU alumnus, Beekman has served his alma mater since 1995, assuming his most recent role as vice president and secretary of the Board of Trustees in 2008. Previously, he served as executive director of the MSU Alumni Association, senior adviser to the provost and assistant dean for finance in the College of Human Medicine. Beekman led MSU’s negotiations with the McLaren Health System to develop a hospital adjacent to campus and, with several colleagues, negotiated the expansion of the College of Human Medicine to Grand Rapids. He has taught health policy in the College of Law and the College of Human Medicine.
Beekman received his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, his Juris Doctorate from Wayne State University Law School, and his undergraduate degree in justice, morality and constitutional democracy from James Madison College at MSU.
