BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Executive Assistant and Business Manager Deb Herman has announced she will be retiring at the end of September, ending a successful 25-year career with the League office. Herman was one of the Patriot League’s original employees, joining in 1989 before the League’s inception as an all-sport conference.
The Bethlehem, Pa. native holds the distinction of having worked with all four full-time Executive Directors and Commissioners in League history – Carl Ullrich, Connie Hurlbut, Carolyn Schlie Femovich and Jennifer Heppel. Herman had previously retired in 2005 before returning in 2011. She will continue to assist the League in a consulting role following her retirement.
“I enjoyed working for the Patriot League and find it hard to believe it’s been 25 years,” Herman said. “The support I received in my career and personal life over the years is greatly appreciated. I have fond memories of visiting our member campuses, meeting campus staff and student-athletes and attending championships. I am very proud of the League and its guiding principles and watching it grow and move forward has been a meaningful experience for me. There will always be a special place in my heart for the Patriot League and especially for my co-workers and League friends. I am thankful for the opportunities I have been granted and will keep an eye on the League in the future. I look forward to my retirement – having more time and flexibility to spend with my family and contribute to our church and community is all that I ask for.”
Herman has been a constant through the Patriot League’s evolution to becoming one of NCAA Division I's elite academic conferences. During her tenure, she has monitored and maintained the League office's day-to-day operations while providing support and administrative assistance to each of the League's top executives. She has also managed the League’s accounting and financial records and provided support for the League's business operations. She was recognized as the Bethlehem Chapter Woman of the Year in 1996 by the American Business Women's Association.
“Deb is integral to our operation internally and externally, and her commitment and dedication to the League is unparalleled,” Patriot League Commissioner Jennifer Heppel said. “As Commissioner, I rely on her guidance and expertise on a daily basis. She never fails to provide a well-grounded perspective. While we will miss her leadership, we celebrate her achievements and this opportunity to retire and enjoy this well-deserved time with her family.”
Herman resides in Emmaus, Pa. with her husband Dennis. She is a proud mother of one son and grandmother to three children.
Former and Current Colleagues on Herman’s Impact and Retirement
Carolyn Schlie Femovich – Patriot League Executive Director (1999-2015)
“From the very moment I walked into the office on Adler Place (in Bethlehem), Deb was the helpful, friendly, kind person that any new person in the office would want to encounter. Whether you were the Executive Director or an intern, it didn’t matter; Deb greeted everyone with kindness and a warm smile, and a desire to help you do your job as well as possible. There is probably no one who knows the Patriot League better than Deb. She was always one step ahead of me and what we needed to get done in the office, whether it was with managing the office, hiring people, setting up meetings or taking care of the financial or business arrangements. Deb always paid attention to the details and help to make my work so much more productive. I wish Deb many wonderful years of good health and happiness in her well-deserved retirement. She has served the Patriot League so incredibly well, and it was my privilege to work with her for many years.”
M. Grace Calhoun, Ph.D. – University of Pennsylvania Director of Athletics
Patriot League Associate Executive Director (1998-2002)
“Deb epitomizes the expression ‘the team behind the team.’ Deb made the Patriot League office run, and played a role in all that happened within the League. Deb was one of the kindest, most supportive colleagues with whom I’ve had the pleasure of working, and having Deb on the team made everyone better.”
Connie Hurlbut – West Coast Conference Senior Associate Commissioner
Patriot League Executive Director (1993-99)
“Deb Herman has been nothing short of a bedrock for Patriot League operations since its inception. Her institutional history, incredible engagement with the membership at all levels and support of Patriot League staff cannot be overstated! Personally, she was exceptionally helpful when I joined the staff in 1993 and we've been connected ever since. My deep appreciation to Deb for her support and dedication to Patriot League institutions and staff.”
Jimmy Johnson – Patriot League Assistant Commissioner for Multimedia and Creative Services (2009-present)
“It’s hard to put into one quote what Deb has meant to me at the Patriot League, and it’s probably because it is really hard for me to imagine a day in the office without her. She was always there in the first office you’d see when you walk in, ready to assist you with a smile. She was the rock that held several departments together, and I couldn’t be more thankful to have had the opportunity to work with her.”
Dr. Michael McFarland – Bloomsburg University Director of Athletics
Patriot League Associate Executive Director (2000-05)
“As conference memberships and staffs continually change, one constant at the Patriot League has been Deb Herman. Deb always brought positivity to whatever the situation was while ensuring success in all projects she played a part. She was the go-to person who never sacrificed her high standards and her personality always made the room glow. She impacted so many individuals during her time at the Patriot League and we wish her the best in this next, well-deserved, phase of her life.”
Todd Newcomb – Bucknell University Senior Associate Director of Athletics
Patriot League Asst/Assoc./Interim Executive Director (1989-99)
“When the League office first opened back in 1989, I’ll never forget showing up in a business park off of Route 512 behind the Holiday Inn. When I walked into the office, there was no one else except Deb, who immediately and very friendly introduced herself to me. Deb has been a constant fixture in the Patriot League. Commissioners have come and gone, staff has come and gone, but Deb has been there greeting people the same way through all those years. I had the good fortune of working with her for 10 years in that office. Our children grew up together. We spent a lot of time obviously at work and away from work as friends and families. There is not a person I know who will go the extra yard for someone more than Deb.”
Dan Trump – Georgetown University Senior Associate Director of Athletics
Patriot League Associate Executive Director (2002-04)
“Deb’s tireless service to the Patriot League and the countless number of student-athletes, coaches, administrators, committees and Presidents over 25 years is unparalleled. I've had the pleasure of knowing her from my time working in the Patriot League office way back when and now as an administrator at Georgetown. Thank you for your dedication and friendship! Your work was always spot on, but your kindness and demeanor will be missed the most. Best wishes on a wonderful retirement!”
Carl Ullrich – Patriot League Executive Director (1989-93)
“When I met Debbie, it just seemed like it was the right move to hire her. She had a great resume, but I wasn’t really looking at resumes, I was looking at people, and she just seemed right. She took the job and did it beautifully.”
Richard Wanninger – Patriot League Senior Associate Commissioner (2005-present)
“Deb supported with the advancement of the Patriot League from a football-only conference to its current 24-sport conference. Her dedication and diligence have been inspiring for all who have been privileged to work at the Patriot League office. It is appropriate that the League office returned to its birthplace in Bethlehem before Deb retires. We cannot thank Deb enough for her contributions to the Patriot League.”
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.