Eastern Michigan University Director of Athletics Dr. Derrick Gragg has announced the hiring of Blufton native Greg Steiner to the post of Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations effective Monday, Oct. 22.

An assistant director in the Athletic Media Relations office for the previous seven years and 12-year member of the staff, Steiner takes over for Jim Streeter, who retired after serving the Media Relations Department for the past 39 years.

“During the past years, Greg has played an integral role within the Department of Athletics,” said Gragg. “He has worked very closely with our coaches, staff members and student-athletes and is highly respected member of our athletics team. I am pleased that he has accepted this leadership position and look forward to working with him as we move forward.”

Steiner will continue to serve as the primary contact for the football, women's basketball and men's and women's golf teams, while aiding in game-day help with nearly all 21 sports.

The Athletic Media Relations Office (formerly known as the Sports Information) at Eastern Michigan has been in operation since 1960 when Bob Briner was named the first full-time director. Since then there have only been three directors in the history of the office. John Fountain followed Briner in 1966 and Streeter was named to the SID position in 1975 and held it until Oct. 19, 2012.

“After announcing my retirement from the Eastern Michigan University department of athletics after 39 years, I knew that Greg would be the absolute best choice to take over my position as the Associate Athletic Director for Media Relations,”  Streeter said.  “As the assistant director of our media relations staff for the past seven years, Greg has had a major role in the continuing improvement of our entire operation and is the one person responsible for making our Eagle All-Access audio and video streaming program as strong as it is today.  I will definitely miss my EMU career, but I know that the athletic department will be in great hands with Greg in a leadership role.”

During his tenure in Ypsilanti, Steiner has promoted two Academic All-Americans, worked with seven Mid-American Conference championship teams and was one of the first SIDs in the country to initiate an aggressive approach to web development and providing better online coverage of athletic events. In addition, he has worked as an announcer for radio and television broadcasts of EMU sporting events, and he was part of the media relations staff at the 2008 NCAA Men's Basketball Regional and the 2009 Final Four in Detroit, Mich.

The 31-year-old Steiner worked as a student athletic media relations director at Eastern Michigan for three years before assuming the role of assistant director.  A 2003 graduate of EMU, he graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree in marketing.

A native of Bluffton, Steiner graduated from Bluffton High School in 1999. He is a member of the College of Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and the MAC News Media Association (MNMA).

Steiner and his fiance, Cathy, live in Milan.