Michael Alford
Florida State University President Richard McCullough announced today the selection of Michael Alford as the university’s next Vice President and Director of Athletics. Alford, who has served as president and CEO of Seminole Boosters, Inc. since 2020, is an accomplished leader with a wealth of experience in collegiate and professional athletics and a proven track record of fundraising, hiring successful coaches and managing elite athletics programs.
Under Alford’s leadership, the Seminole Boosters have increased the annual fund and membership numbers, completed a successful $100 million capital campaign that includes funding for a new Football Operations Building, initiated a redevelopment plan of Doak Campbell Stadium, and entered a new contract with Legends, the premium experiences company, to operate the Dunlap Champions Club.
Prior to his arrival at Florida State, Alford served as Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics at Central Michigan University from 2017-2020. He is credited with leading Central Michigan during the most successful fundraising period in its athletics history. Notably, Alford hired eight coaches at Central Michigan, four of whom went on to win conference coach of the year honors in their first two seasons. Alford also guided the renegotiation of CMU Athletics’ apparel contract which resulted in a 600 percent increase in revenue, spearheaded an all-time high in Chippewa Athletic Fund memberships and oversaw the department’s all-time fundraising record in 2018-2019 that eclipsed the mark set in 2017-2018 by 50 percent.
From 2012 to 2017, Alford was the Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development and Administration at the University of Oklahoma where he oversaw the Sooner Club, the principal fund-raising arm of OU Athletics. The Sooner Club set annual giving records and increased membership to an all-time high under his leadership. He also played an integral role in the $160 million capital campaign for the renovation of the Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium and the university’s football facility. In addition, Alford oversaw the men’s basketball program, which advanced to the NCAA Final Four in 2016.
Alford served as senior director of corporate partnerships and sales for the Dallas Cowboys from 2008-2012 and as general manager of Crimson Tide Sports Marketing from 2004-2008. He worked in various roles at ESPN, the University of Southern California, the University of Cincinnati and the Cincinnati Bengals.
Alford played baseball at Mississippi State before transferring to UAB, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in communication in 1993. He received a master’s degree in athletics administration from the University of Arkansas in 1995. Alford is married to Laura, a former collegiate volleyball student-athlete at the University of Hawaii. They have three daughters Audrey, Ashley and Anna Leigh.
