DeVos takes on new challenge

Many of you who have dealt with the Charlotte 49ers' ticket office know Dan DeVos. Some others probably know his wife, Aimee, who is coach of Charlotte's softball team, which is 16-3 this season.

Dan has been around Charlotte athletics since 1993 when he began as an intern in the ticket office. Ever since, he has taken an active and productive role in Charlotte athletics, always willing to lend a helping hand to make all of Charlotte's programs better.

He will take on his biggest role yet, as he was named Friday as director of the Charlotte 49ers Athletic Annual Fund, where he will spearhead efforts to raise funds to reach Charlotte's goal of fully-funding all its athletic programs.

There are few more energetic individuals at Charlotte. I'm sure he will do a great job. He had become so synonymous with the ticket office, I found myself repeatedly asking him ticket-related questions even when a new assistant director of marketing and ticket operations was named a couple years ago.

With Charlotte looking to fully fund the athletic programs it already has, while struggling with a down season in men's basketball -- the bread and butter of the athletic program -- and undertaking a study on whether to add football, DeVos' new job will be a tough one. I'm certain he will relish the challenge. -- Jim Utter