Robert Bonn
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The National Association of Athletic Development Directors recognized former Carthage athletic director Dr. Robert Bonn with their 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award that will be received at the NACDA Convention in Orlando, Florida in June. Dr. Bonn, who served as Carthage athletic director for 26 years from April 1992 to his July 2018 retirement, served as NAADD President during the 2001-02 school year and stayed involved with the organization throughout his career. 

“We are immensely proud of Bob for receiving this honor, and are grateful to him for his many years of service at Carthage,” said President John Swallow. “His commitment to both running a top-notch athletic program and seeking out funding to support it is truly remarkable. We are thrilled that the National Association of Athletic Development Directors is recognizing Bob in this way.”

Administrators across all divisions of collegiate athletics who have made lasting impacts on NAADD are considered for the Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Bonn’s involvement with NAADD included development and implementation of programming and education around collegiate athletics. His vision and guidance helped pave the landscape of small-school athletics to what it is today.

Dr. Bonn’s development of the endowment for each of Carthage’s 24 teams took priority throughout his 26-year tenure. Fundraising by Dr. Bonn and his staff has accumulated a total athletic endowment that approached $3 million. 

Dr. Bonn’s career began at Westwood High School in Massachusetts, where he served as head boy’s basketball and baseball coach. From there, Dr. Bonn jumped to the collegiate level where he served assistant men’s basketball coaching stints at Framingham State University (Mass.) and Western New Mexico University. Dr. Bonn went on to Pacific University in 1984, where he was the head men’s basketball coach before he took the reins as Carthage athletic director in April 1992.