After what the school termed an extensive nationwide search, North Idaho College on Monday announced the hiring of Robert (Bobby) Lee as the school’s athletic director.

Lee is currently serving as the interim District Director of Athletics and Dean for Physical Education, Athletics, Recreation and Wellness at Community Colleges of Spokane. He has more than 25 years of experience working in higher education as a coach, instructor, and administrator.

“It was clear to the hiring committee and others who had the opportunity to meet Bobby that he has the right mix of skills to lead our athletic program,” said Graydon Stanley, NIC Vice President of Student Services, in a news release issued by the school. “Bobby is an experienced leader with strong supervisory and budget skills, as well as extensive knowledge of collegiate sports. He has a reputation for being a strong communicator and an enthusiastic supporter of community college athletics, so he will be a perfect fit for us.”

Lee will replace Al Williams, who retired in September. Williams, who had been AD at NIC since 2003, retired less than a month after the Northwest Athletic Conference penalized the Cardinal men’s basketball team for league violations of using booster club funds to pay for housing during the summers of 2017 and 2018, using such funds without NIC Business Office oversight and operating camps in violation of NWAC rules.

Lee will officially start at NIC on Dec. 3.

“My wife and I are extremely excited and looking forward to jumping in with both feet and becoming entrenched in the NIC community,” Lee said. “I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity, fired up and ready to get going.”

Lee taught on the faculty at Spokane Falls Community College, Azusa Pacific University, University of La Verne, Washington State University, and Citrus Community College. He coached at several college-level programs, including as the head baseball coach at Community Colleges of Spokane, University of La Verne and Pacific International League-Kelowna. He was the assistant athletic director and Dean for Physical Education, Athletics, Recreation and Wellness at Community Colleges of Spokane from 2006 to 2019, before assuming his current role.

Lee has a bachelor of arts in education, physical education/health education from Eastern Washington University and a master’s degree in education with an emphasis in physical education from Azusa Pacific University.