ATLANTA — The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference announced today that Ruben R. Perez Jr. has been appointed Associate Commissioner for External Affairs and Sports Operations, marking a return to the conference office where he previously served from 2009–2015. Perez joins the SIAC after serving as Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs at Alabama A&M University, where he led marketing, development, strategic initiatives and corporate collaboration across the department.
“We are thrilled that Ruben Perez has joined the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference as the new Associate Commissioner for External Affairs and Sports Operations,” said SIAC Commissioner Anthony Holloman, Ed.D. “He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the SIAC, and I look forward to working with him.”
In this role, Perez will first focus on external affairs, assisting the conference with corporate partnerships and supporting the activation of partner commitments in alignment with SIAC brand standards. Working closely with campus and conference stakeholders, he will help ensure sponsor deliverables are executed consistently throughout the academic year, strengthening visibility, engagement and value for member institutions and conference partners.
Perez will also oversee key elements of sports operations for the SIAC. His responsibilities include coordinating regular season and championship logistics, managing schedule change requests, supporting the implementation of conference competition policies, stewarding championship event inventory, and working with campus administrators and coaches to deliver consistent, championship-caliber experiences at SIAC venues.
“I would like to thank Commissioner Holloman for believing in me and trusting my leadership,” said Perez. “Returning to the SIAC means a great deal, a homecoming of sorts, and honestly, coming full circle. The SIAC shaped so much of my professional foundation, and I’m excited to pour that experience back into our campuses, student-athletes and partners, as we elevate the brand and the championship experience across the board.”
Perez brings a wide-ranging background in athletic administration and communications. At Alabama A&M, he directed comprehensive external operations, helped elevate the department’s brand presence, advanced revenue initiatives and deepened stakeholder engagement. Prior to AAMU, he served as Associate Director of Strategic Communications and External Operations at Morehouse College (2018–2021), modernizing brand presentation, growing ticketing outcomes and building corporate relationships through student and community engagement programs. He also served at Paine College (2017–2018) as Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance and Communications, providing NCAA compliance oversight and administrative support for high-profile sports.
Perez’s event and venue experience includes leadership roles in Birmingham from 2021–2023, where, as Commissioner of Sports and Entertainment and Director of the Birmingham CrossPlex, he supported hallmark events such as the Magic City Classic, the Birmingham Bowl, AHSAA championships, and The World Games 2022, while managing a 75,000-square-foot multi-sport facility that hosted NCAA championships, professional competitions and large-scale amateur events. Earlier in his career, Perez contributed to the SIAC, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, Clark Atlanta University and Chicago State University, driving initiatives that increased championship attendance and enhanced conference brand visibility. He has also served on several national NCAA committees, including co-chairing the NCAA Division II National Football Committee, the NCAA Division II National Baseball Committee and the NCAA Division II Basketball Regional Advisory Committee.
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ABOUT THE SOUTHERN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (SIAC)
The SIAC is a NCAA athletic conference consisting primarily of historically black colleges and universities with headquarters in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. The SIAC includes 15 member institutions (Albany State University, Allen University, Benedict College, Central State University, Clark Atlanta University, Edward Waters University, Fort Valley State University, Kentucky State University, Lane College, LeMoyne-Owen College, Miles College, Morehouse College, Savannah State University, Spring Hill College, and Tuskegee University), which are located within a contiguous seven-state footprint (Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and Ohio). The SIAC sponsors nine men's and seven women's sports and is a proud member of the NCAA Division II. For more information, visit
www.thesiac.com.