SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (CMC) — A Puerto Rican professor has been appointed the new general secretary of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC).

Professor Cándido Vélez took up duties effective January 1, 2014 following the completion of the NACAC office transition process from Kingston, Jamaica, to San Juan, Puerto Rico.

NACAC President Victor López described Vélez as a very dedicated and hard-working individual who was awarded for his services

to the NACAC area and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

“Professor Vélez will be available to run the NACAC AA office 24/7 and I am proud to have as my right-hand man not only a dedicated true athletics individual, but a serious, honest and trusted person, who live for our sport with the only interest of serving and developing our youth,” said López.

“I would like to express my appreciation to George Peryer and Nikki Miller, who administrated the NACAC Kingston office during the late Teddy McCook’s (RIP) presidency, for their services and collaboration to the NACAC area. We will be eternally in debt with you.”

Professor Vélez is a well-known individual of the NACAC athletics family since he has been involved in the NACAC area development programme in race walking (RW) and, for the last decade, in the technical and organisation of major championships and regional games.

A graduate of the University of Puerto Rico, Vélez retired from the Puerto Rico Department of Education in 2006 and while he was active as a teacher for 30 years, he was also giving his services and experiences to the NACAC area.

Since the early 1980s he has been officiating race walking events in the NACAC area and in the 1990s became an international race walking judge and a member of the IAAF Race Walking Judges Panel. He has worked as an RW judge in all major competitions and championships, including World Championships and Olympic Games.

In 2010, Vélez was the competition director and organiser of the athletics competition of the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games held in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.

The NACAC president said other appointments will be announced in the coming weeks, including new administrative staff, regional directors, sponsors, commissions, media personnel, protocol and public relations personnel.