CLEVELAND — Truett McConnell University President Dr. Emir Caner has announced the hiring of John Garvilla as the next Director of Athletics at TMU. He will officially begin work July 1.
"TMU has been blessed with godly leadership from our current Director of Athletics over the past five years," said Caner. "Now, in God's perfect timing, the Lord has sought fit to send us another godly man whose experience includes serving as AD at both an NCAA school, University of Missouri - St. Louis, as well as at a fellow NAIA university. More importantly, the heart of John Garvilla is to raise up a generation of believers who use their talent and gifts to share Christ and serve others."
Garvilla has been working in collegiate athletics since 1995 when he started as the Head Men's and Women's Soccer and Tennis Coach at Montreat College.
"I am really blessed for my family and me to come to Cleveland, Georgia, and to work at a Christian institution," said Garvilla. "TMU has the highest standards, both in academics and athletics, and at a Christian institution, the standards are even more important to live up to. I hope to be seen as faithful in the position that God has put me in."
Most recently, Garvilla has worked as an Educational Consultant and Co-Owner/Director of Client Relations for John Garvilla LLC & ProServe Property Maintenance in St. Charles, Missouri, since 2009. While in this role, Garvilla created a comprehensive Athletics Development Plan for Maryville University and raised in excess of $300,000 for Mid-Continent University.
Prior to his most recent work, Garvilla was the Director of Athletics at the University of Missouri - St. Louis from 2007-09 and at Belhaven College in Mississippi from 2004-07. He has also served as the Director of Sports Promotions at Troy University in Alabama and the Director of the Booster Club at Milligan College in Tennessee.
In addition to his roles as Director of Athletics, Garvilla will also serve as a faculty member at TMU, teaching in the Peter and Gredel Walpot School of Education.
"I knew Dr. Hall's shoes would be difficult to fill both from a professional and faculty perspective," said Dr. Brad Reynolds, Vice President for Academic Services at TMU. "While I never doubted God's guidance and protection over TMU, it seemed like a tall order. And yet, God came through greater than I could have imagined. Professor Garvilla continues the trend of TMU attracting world class individuals. I am grateful he joins TMU as our new AD and am excited about him joining our faculty as well."
Garvilla graduated from Winthrop University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1984 and a Master of Arts in Teaching Social Science in 1989.
"Dr. Hall has done an outstanding job as Director of Athletics over the past five years," said Garvilla. "These will be very big shoes to fill."
Garvilla is married to Kim, who is a critical care nurse and administrator. She is currently working on her Masters degree in nursing. Together they have four kids: Samantha, 19, Caleb, 17, and twins Joshua and Daniel, 14. Samantha has a 15-month old son named Braxton (Rocco).
