Bob Hogue, who has been the Commissioner of the Pacific West Conference for more than half of the conference’s existence, will retire from his post at the end of the 2023 athletic seasons.

Hogue, in his 16^th season, has guided the PacWest through numerous expansion scenarios, Covid-19 and unprecedented success for the conference athletically and academically. He made the announcement to his schools this past Friday during conference meetings at the NCAA Convention in San Antonio, Texas.

"I'm excited about the future of the PacWest,” said Hogue, who will turn 70 this summer.  “I truly love this conference and all that we have accomplished during my sixteen years with the PacWest.  I can't tell you how many great memories I have from over the years -- and in the next six months, as I complete this exciting final term, I know we'll create many more.”  

Hogue became the PacWest’s first fulltime commissioner at a critical juncture in the conference’s history in the summer of 2007.  When Hogue began, the conference had only five active NCAA Division II members and seven schools total, covering a geographical area from Hawaii to California to Utah and Arizona. After his first year, he successfully petitioned the NCAA to reinstate the PacWest’s automatic qualifiers for postseason play. Within five years, he led the effort to double the size of the conference to 14 schools, becoming the largest Division II conference in the west region.

He helped the conference add five new sports to the conference championships program, going from ten conference sports to 15, while eventually seeing the PacWest win six NCAA DII national championships, with 13 additional national finalists. 20 teams from the PacWest won NCAA DII West Region titles and three times, a PacWest athletic program was the NCAA DII Director’s Cup Champion. Fast forward to 2023, the PacWest now has 11 competing schools, with future commitments pushing that number to 14 schools by 2024.

“The PacWest is Bob Hogue,” said Azusa Pacific University athletic director Gary Pine. “The growth, sustainability and viability of this conference over the past 16 years are his indelible signature on this conference. With great patience, diligence and wisdom he deftly navigated the challenges of a conference that represents every type of higher education institution and membership, that at times spanned across four time zones. I know he is deeply proud of the PacWest, and in turn we are as proud of him and forever grateful for his impact on us.”

Prior to his tenure with the PacWest, Hogue worked for nearly three decades in television and radio news and sports in Arizona, Montana, Iowa, California, and Hawai'i. He was the lead sports anchor at No. 1 rated television stations KWWL-TV in Waterloo/Cedar Rapids, KCRA-TV in Sacramento, and KHON-TV in Honolulu. During the 1980's and 1990's, he did play-by-play for the University of Iowa and University of Hawai'i, among other schools.

When his broadcast career wrapped up, he was elected state senator in Hawai`i for six years (2000-06). For more than twenty years, he wrote a weekly sports column for MidWeek magazine in Hawai'i and also authored a best-selling novel, “The Sands of Lanikai.” 

Hogue grew up in La Habra, California and graduated from the University of Southern California in 1975, where he played baseball and earned his business degree with an emphasis in accounting.  His professional career began as a staff auditor with Price Waterhouse & Co., and he earned his CPA Certificate in 1978 before embarking on a long broadcasting career.

During his tenure with the PacWest, Hogue recruited the addition of (in chronological order) Academy of Art University, Dominican University of California, California Baptist University, Azusa Pacific University, Point Loma Nazarene University, Fresno Pacific University, Holy Names University, Concordia University Irvine, and Biola University. Next year, the PacWest welcomes Westmont College into conference play, with three more California schools anticipated to follow a year later.

“Bob has been the super glue of the PacWest,” said Dominican University athletic director Amy Henkelman. “I do not know anyone more passionate about our conference. He cares deeply for every institution and even has a PacWest Conference windbreaker with each school’s colors that he wears proudly to prove it. He is always smiling and strategically finding ways to guide, lead and serve the conference members and student-athletes. Bob was instrumental in creating a positive and collegial culture within the PacWest Advisory Board. He is an excellent commissioner and person. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity that I have had to work with Bob the past ten years.”

In 2011, Hogue oversaw the move of the conference office from Hawai‘i to California, along with an expansion of conference personnel.  In 2013, he helped start the inaugural PacWest men's and women's basketball tournaments. In 2023, the conference will sponsor its first-ever baseball and softball postseason tournaments.

Hogue has also been active on several key NCAA committees. In 2013, he was named to the NCAA DII Management Council and the NCAA DII Membership Committee, which he served through 2017. In 2017 and 2018, Hogue worked with the men's and women's tennis national committee. From 2019 through 2023, Hogue currently serves on the NCAA DII Nominating Committee.

“All of the member schools of the PacWest Conference, past and present, owe Commissioner Hogue a debt of gratitude for his vision and leadership for the past 16 years,” said Patrick Guillen, athletic director at the University of Hawai`i Hilo.  “Bob has guided the conference through good times and bad with the student-athlete experience always at the forefront.  He is well-respected by his colleagues across the country for his impeccable integrity and steady hand.  Personally, I am grateful for his friendship and guidance in my eight years in the conference.  I wish him and Sherri a long, healthy, and happy retirement that I know includes family and travel.  A hui hou my friend!”

A nationwide search for the conference's next Commissioner is expected to begin in March, with a successor hoped to be named by the PacWest meetings at the end of May.  Hogue, who lives in Sedona, Arizona with his wife, Sherri, will help with a smooth transition and move into retirement on July 1, 2023.

“I will cherish the wonderful people from all around the PacWest,” Hogue added. These are individuals who are committed to their schools, each other, and to the betterment of our conference.  Thanks to everyone for making this the best job I've ever had."