Mike Dick, Executive Director of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union since 2008, announced his retirement at the June 16 IGHSAU Board of Directors meeting. The IGHSAU Board of Directors accepted his resignation effective Aug. 31, 2016.

“I am proud to have served as the Executive Director of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union for the last seven years,” he stated. “I was able to fulfill a dream of mine by working for the IGHSAU. It has been a pleasure to serve so many great schools, administrators, staff, officials, coaches and, especially, the Iowa Girl.

“The time is right to retire. My family has always catered to me and my job,” said Dick. “The time has come for me to give my time back to them.”

“Speaking on behalf of the Board of Directors, I want to thank Mike for his vision and commitment to the Iowa Girl,” said IGHSAU Board of Directors President Dr. Greg Thomas. “Mike has always put the best interests of the thousands of girls that participate in our activities first. Our coaches, officials, schools, and especially high school girls are better because of his leadership.”

Dick became the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s fourth Executive Director in August of 2008, succeeding Troy Dannen. Some of the highlights of his seven-year tenure include the expansion to five classes in volleyball, basketball, golf and softball; enhanced education of officials, and moving the IGHSAU headquarters from its longtime home at 2900 Grand Avenue in Des Moines to West Des Moines in 2012.

Dick joined the IGHSAU as an Assistant Director in August of 2002. In his tenure as an assistant, he administrated volleyball, basketball, track & field, cross country, soccer and softball as well as assigning and administrating officials. He was one of the architects of the implementation of the State Co-Ed Track & Field Meet that began in 2005.

The meet is the largest track and field state high school track and field meet in the United States.

Prior to joining the IGHSAU, the Winterset native spent 18 years as a high school principal. While serving in an administrative role, he enjoyed a stint on the Iowa High School Athletic Association’s Representative Council and was a member of the IGHSAU Board of Directors from 1997 to 2002. He was a successful high school softball and girls basketball coach and a state tournament official in track & field, softball and volleyball.

Dick and his wife, Pam, have three grown children and eight grandchildren.