Thursday, February 1

• Panel Discussion 2:30 p.m

"Is Winning Everything? "

Moderator: Chris Graham ’93

Chris Graham became the eighth commissioner of the Midwest

Conference in July 2004. Graham’s appointment made him the first full-time chief executive officer and commissioner in the league’s history following the retirement of Dr. Ralph Shively. Graham spent four years working under Shively as the league’s assistant commissioner and sports information director prior to being appointed commissioner.

Graham has served on various NCAA grant committees and is currently the president of FOTP Ltd., a non-profit charitable group that benefits youths in Whitewater, Wis.

He enjoyed a standout career in the Midwest Conference prior to his employment there, earning all-conference accolades in basketball and baseball during his time at Ripon College. As a co-captain on the basketball team, Graham led his squad in three-pointers as a senior and was named the MVP of the 1993 Ripon Tip-off Tournament. A left-fielder in baseball, Graham hit over .400 as a senior, helping Ripon to a first-place finish in the MWC North division. During his career, Graham was a part of three Midwest Conference championship teams, winning the league title in baseball in 1990 and basketball championships during the 1990-91 and 1991-92 seasons.

In 1995, two years after graduating from Ripon with a bachelor’s degree in business management and a minor in leadership studies, Graham became the sports information director and assistant baseball coach at his alma mater. The 1989 Whitewater High School alumnus spent five years at Ripon before joining the Midwest Conference office in 2000.

Graham is completing his master’s degree in higher education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.