President introduces Dan Martinson as Division I transition liaison This is to introduce Dan Martinsen to the members of UND’s greater campus community. A native of Ashland, Wis., Dan earned a degree in English from UND in 1973. While attending college, he was a football Letterwinner, earning All-American status in 1970 and 1971. Dan was also named to the first team All-Conference three consecutive years and was inducted into our Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986. After graduation, Dan carried on a successful business career for 10 years before starting his own company, Select Benefit Administrators of America. As president and CEO of the company, Dan successfully built his business from the ground up. He eventually sold part of it in 1999 and fully divested in 2004. Dan has a deep interest in UND and the University’s move to and through the Division I transition process. He has volunteered to work, without compensation, to help make the transition as successful as possible. Since the transition involves personnel in athletics and personnel throughout the entire University, there is a need for someone to help me look after all of the details of the transition on an everyday ongoing basis. Dan will be serving in this role. Dan will also be serving as a member of the transition team, or what is sometimes called the Division I Commission. He also is serving as a member of UND’s National Campaign Steering Committee, assisting the University in the design and conduct of a comprehensive capital campaign. Dan and his wife, Mary (Fischer), ’72, recently moved back to Grand Forks. They have four sons. Mary’s father, Robert Fischer, taught in the Microbiology and Immunology Department at the UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences for 36 years. Please extend Dan every courtesy in his work in helping make the University’s transition to Division I in all sports as smooth and effective as possible – remembering that Dan is a volunteer without budgetary or line authority working on my behalf in the interest of the entire University. As such, he serves as a liaison to and with the Office of the President, keeping me informed of the movement across all fronts toward Division I and ensuring that my input is made available to all of those working on the transition. Charles E. Kupchella, President