Sean Johnson named associate athletic director for external operations UND director of athletics Brian Faison has named Sean Johnson as associate athletic director for external operations. Johnson's appointment begins Aug. 18. Johnson will oversee marketing, media relations, broadcast properties and NCAA and conference postseason bids. He will also supervise assigned sports. Sean will be a great addition to the senior management team, said Faison. He has hands-on experience with the approach we want to take at UND, which will focus on strategies to maximize resources and revenue potential, elevate our presence in the local, regional and national media, expand opportunities to participate with the business community and increase fan satisfaction with gameday experience. Johnson comes to UND after spending the past two years as associate athletic director and sports information director at Texas A&M-Kingsville, where he oversaw all external relations, including corporate fundraising and annual giving. While at Texas A&M-Kingsville, Johnson cultivated new corporate and private donors for the Javelina Club, the primary athletics fundraising arm. He also created the Wild Hogs program, a student-incentive program aimed at increasing student attendance at athletic events. Johnson also played a key role in significantly widening TAMUKs radio and online coverage. Prior to his stint at Texas A&M-Kingsville, Johnson spent the previous five years at New Mexico State. From 2001-04, Johnson served as assistant athletics director and media relations director. In 2004 he was promoted to associate athletics director and oversaw areas including sales, marketing, promotions, tickets, radio, television and the departments courtesy car program. While at NMSU, Johnson aided in the schools transition to the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) by helping raise $1.8 million in corporate sales over a two-year period. Johnson also led an initiative to increase local and regional coverage of NMSU athletics, which included a radio network growth from three to 13 stations. In 2005-06 NMSU became the first U.S. college to broadcast its games in Navajo. NMSU also experienced a 90-percent increase in ticket revenue from 2004-05 to 2005-06, surpassing the $1 million mark for the first time in school history. Johnson was an assistant athletic director at North Texas from 1998-01 and has also enjoyed stints as a sports information director at Idaho (1996-98), Angelo State (1994-96), Arkansas-Little Rock (1988-92), Missouri-St. Louis (1985-88) and Lincoln (1984-85). Its an honor for me to join the Fighting Sioux family and a great opportunity to represent the University of North Dakota, said Johnson. My wife, my son and I are looking forward to becoming part of the Grand Forks community. A 1983 graduate of the University of Missouri, Johnson holds a bachelors degree in education. He is currently pursuing his masters degree in adult education.