About GPAC Commissioner Corey Westra…
Corey Westra, from Sioux City, Iowa, was named the second commissioner of the Great Plains
Athletic Conference (GPAC) in April of 2003. He is a 1997 graduate of GPAC member school Dordt College in Sioux Center where he holds a B.A. in Communication. He is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Leadership Management.
Westra has helped lead the GPAC onto the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) scene with active roles in various NAIA committees. He is the past chair of the NAIA National Administrative Council (NAC) and is past chair of the NAIA Council of Conferences and Independents (CACI). He has also been an officer on the board of the NAIA Sports Information Directors Association (NAIA-SIDA). Currently he is the Chair-Elect of the NAIA Experience and Enhancement Committee, a member of the NAIA Competitive Experience Committee, and the NAIA Constitution and By-Laws Committee.
Under his guidance the GPAC has 11 current members and is one of the leading NAIA conferences in the country. Westra has led the charge to increase awareness of the league through the development of a comprehensive website, increased press releases, and a daily radio program titled "The GPAC Report" and a weekly fall ra
dio program during the football season titled "The GPAC Football Saturday Report". He has also facilitated the development of Players of the Week for all GPAC sports. The GPAC has won 20 NAIA National Championships and in 2011-12 had 517 NAIA Scholar-Athletes and numerous NAIA Scholar-Teams.
Westra has served as the Local Tournament Director for the NAIA Women's Volleyball National Championship (2008-2011) and NAIA Women's Division II Basketball Championship in Sioux City (2007-2011). He has also served as a member of the NAIA National Tournament Committee (Red Coats) for both events in Sioux City. In 2008 he was named the recipient of the Cheryl K. Brown Meritorious Service Award for his efforts at the NAIA National Women's Division II Basketball Championship. In 2012 he was honored with the Outstanding Service Award at the NAIA Volleyball Championship. In 2013 he was named the NAIA Charles Morris Administrator-of-the-Year by his peers. Westra also is the Past-President (still a member of the board) of the Sioux City Sports Commission a non-profit organization that promotes sporting events in Sioux City. Sioux City was named a Top Sports Destination by Sports Travel Magazine during his term as President.
Prior to serving as Commissioner he served the GPAC as Sports Information Director in 2002-03 and was the Sports Information Director at Dordt College from 1997-2001. He also served as Sports Director at KDCR Radio in Sioux Center during that same time period.
He and his wife Anne live in Sioux City, Iowa, and are the proud parents of three children (Aiden - 9, Meredith - 7, and Mallory - 3). They are active members in their church and community with Upward Basketball and Girl Scouts among other activities.
The Westra's
