FMHS alum named CFO of UNI Athletics

FORT MADISON - Fort Madison native Jerry Wollmering was named as the University of Northern Iowa’s Senior Associate Athletic Director-Chief Financial Officer on Tuesday.

Wollmering, a 1983 graduate of Fort Madison High School, has been director of athletics at NCAA Division II Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo., for the last 25 years. He will take over his new role at UNI on August 22, and will be responsible for the budgetary and account management for the university’s 17 varsity sports teams and athletic facility and equipment operations. He will also serve as a primary advisor to UNI athletics director Megan Franklin on financial operations and strategic planning.

“Jerry Wollmering has served the athletics industry for 26 years gaining a national reputation thanks to his business acumen and creative strategic vision," Franklin said in a statement. "It is our gain at UNI Athletics that he will lend his expertise in serving as the Chief Financial Officer. As we embark on this Legacy Era, Jerry's insights and experiences will provide the acuity to plan and navigate the opportunities and challenges predicated on a sound business plan.”

Wollmering was tied as the longest serving AD in Truman State history.

"I'm humbled by the opportunity to join Director of Athletics Megan Franklin and her leadership team in this new era of Panther Athletics and energized by the chance to work with a talented group of staff and coaches at an outstanding institution," Wollmering said in a statement.

Wollmering helped transform the athletics facilities at Truman State in the past decade by leading the students to approve the Student Athletic Fee,, which led to new turf and lights at Stokes Stadium, and resurfacing projects at tennis, soccer, baseball and softball venues. A new timing system and bulk head in the Natatorium, as well as new chair seating and bleachers in Pershing Arena and a new athletics weight room facility also were added under his leadership.

Truman State has finished in the top 10 in the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Directors' Cup standings six times during Wollmering's tenure. Wollmering  led the athletics program to a third-place finish in the national standings, the highest ever for an active member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association at that time.

Truman State regularly ranked among the top schools in Division II in graduation rates and produced numerous CoSIDA/College Sports Communicators Academic All-Americans. Truman State also earned the Presidential Distinction award for having over a 90 percent Academic Success Rate for the past five years.  

Wollmering also helped guide the Bulldogs from the MIAA  to the Great Lakes Valley Conference beginning  in the 2012-13 academic year. He also served on the MIAA's Finance Committee and on the NCAA National Swimming & Diving Committee.

Before going to Truman State, Wollmering served as Associate Athletics Director of Finance and Administration at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. He was also the Assistant Athletics Director for Financial Affairs for two years at Bowling Green. He  also spent 18 months as an Assistant Athletics Director at Southeast Missouri State.

Wollmering earned a bachelor's degree in business administration and accounting from Drake University in Des Moines in 1987, where he was a varsity letterwinner on the Bulldogs' cross country and track team. He later earned a master's degree in physical education and athletic administration from Kent State University in 1993, where he served as an athletics graduate assistant. Wollmering is also a certified public accountant with experience as an auditor.

Wollmering and his wife, Alicia, have three daughters — Leah, Erica and Kate.