Leon Kerry, who has led the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association as its Commissioner since 1988, announced his retirement on Tuesday, effective immediately. The announcement cited personal reasons as to Kerry’s unexpected decision. Kerry has seen the nation’s oldest conference of HBCUs grow to attract larger increasingly audiences in his 22 years, with the CIAA Tournament in Charlotte, NC, now a giant among the nation’s African-American entertainment events. Senior Administrator and Associate Commissioner Monique Smith will become the league’s interim commissioner until a permanent replacement is named. Ironically, the CIAA will celebrate its centennial season in 2013, which is expected to attract it’s largest crowd ever.
