Blake James was named Athletic Director by President Robert Kennedy on May 10, 2006 after serving as interim athletic director since July 2005. He served the previous two years at Maine as the Senior Associate Athletic Director, overseeing marketing, ticketing, retail operations, athletic development along with men's and women's track and field and cross country, men's soccer, men's basketball and baseball.

"I am impressed with his personal integrity, his commitment to student-athletes, and his firm understanding of the appropriate role of an athletics department in a first-class academic institution," said President Robert Kennedy. "He really understands what Maine is all about, and he will be an outstanding leader in our campus community."

Prior to coming to Maine, he worked in athletic development at Providence College, where he established the "Friars Forever" campaign and the Friar Athletic Fund. He began his career at the University of Miami where he worked in corporate sales and athletic development with former Maine Athletic Director Patrick Nero. James also worked at the University of Nebraska.

He received a bachelors degree in marketing in 1992 from Minnesota State University - Mankato and earned a masters degree from St. Thomas University (Miami, FL) in 1994. James and his wife, Kelly, reside in Veazie with their daughter, Haley, and son, Ryan.