Randy Spetman, athletic director, Florida State University

Randy Spetman

Athletic director, Florida State University

ALL PHOTOS BY RYALS LEE JR. / FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

It’s not uncommon for staffers to shout out “Colonel!” as they pass Randy Spetman in the halls of the Moore Athletic Center on Florida State’s campus. It’s more than a nickname for Spetman, the Seminoles’ athletic director since 2008. It was his rank in the U.S. Air Force.

Spetman, a standout defensive end at the Air Force Academy in the 1970s, didn’t take the usual trek to athletic administration. He spent 28 years in the military before moving into administration at Air Force and Utah State and eventually taking over at FSU.

He logged more than 3,000 hours of flight time and was chief of bomber planning in operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Many of the mementos around his office reflect his background in the service, as well as his father’s.