Northern Arizona Basketball Elevates Program with New Chief of Staff Hire
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Northern Arizona University (NAU) men’s basketball is bolstering its leadership team with the appointment of Jon Ahola as chief of Staff, effective august 2025, in preparation for the 2025-26 season.The move signals a strategic investment in navigating the evolving landscape of collegiate athletics, notably regarding name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities and player development.
A Buisness Leader Enters the Collegiate Arena
Ahola brings a wealth of experience in business leadership to the NAU program, most recently serving as Vice President of Global Research and Development for the Stryker Trauma & Extremities Division. In this role, he spearheaded the integration of Wright Medical – Stryker’s largest acquisition to date – and oversaw the launch of over 40 new products. His team’s success also included streamlining research and development processes, accelerating product timelines, and reducing overall R&D expenditures. This track record of building and leading high-performing global teams has earned him multiple industry accolades.
According to a statement from the university,the hiring of Ahola reflects a commitment to reaching an “elite level” within college basketball,recognizing the increasing importance of business acumen in the modern athletic environment.
The appointment is viewed as crucial for managing the complexities of the modern collegiate athletic landscape. “This move is critical to navigate the new landscape of college basketball in NIL, recruiting and player development,” stated head coach Shane Burcar. “Jon’s passion to serve and lead people is well-documented by the many successful people he has influenced. With Jon’s work ethic we will be able to create the vision of the NAU Men’s Basketball Family we all desire.”
Ahola’s responsibilities will encompass a broad range of areas,including leadership development,NIL strategy,transfer portal management,cultivating relationships with recruits,alumni,and player families,supporting professional player programs,and driving program fundraising efforts. Burcar emphasized Ahola’s 29-plus year career in the medical device industry will be instrumental in helping the Lumberjacks consistently contend for Big Sky Championships.
beyond Business: A Commitment to Leadership and Education
Ahola’s leadership extends beyond his professional career. He previously served as the Executive Sponsor of Stryker’s Emerging Professionals employee resource group and chaired Michigan Tech’s Engineering Advisory Board. He has also completed leadership development programs at both Harvard University and Stryker. Ahola holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Technological University, graduating summa cum laude.
“Thank you to NAU for this unbelievable possibility,” Ahola said. “I couldn’t be more excited to work with Coach Burcar, NAU alumni and the NAU Men’s Basketball team to develop world class leaders on and off the court in our quest to win Big Sky championships and entry to the NCAA Tournament! Let’s Go ‘Jacks!”
Ahola, along with his wife, Rebecca, will be relocating to Flagstaff. Fans can stay up-to-date with Northern Arizona men’s basketball by following th
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