Bluffton schools superintendent Greg Denecker shared the news that former athletic director Jim Raabe has been inducted into the OIAAA-Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Hall of Fame.

“Jim did an outstanding job as our Athletic Director from 1995-2011. He was dedicated to our student-athletes, coaches and our community to help our athletic department grow successfully under his leadership. Jim is very deserving of this Hall of Fame Induction and we thank him for his service and dedication to Bluffton Schools,” Denecker commented.

The OIAAA provided the following details of Raabe’s career and background:

“Jim began his teaching career at Bluffton Exempted Village Schools in Bluffton, Ohio in 1981 teaching Business Education courses at the high school level and stayed there for 30 years. He also started coaching that same year as the assistant girls basketball coach. Other coaching assignments throughout the years included assistant varsity football, junior high football and head boys basketball.

He also spent many years as the "official statistician" for the varsity football program.

“Jim began his athletic administration career at Bluffton as the Faculty Manager in 1985 and held that position until assuming the position of Athletic Director in 1995. At Bluffton, he oversaw both the High School and Junior High athletic departments while still maintaining a teaching schedule. During his tenure, he oversaw a total of 17 sports with 41 teams. His first year as Athletic Director saw the creation of the varsity girls soccer program following the establishment of the boys soccer program several years earlier. As one of the early "small" schools in NW Ohio to have a soccer program, Jim often fielded calls from other schools asking about issues/benefits/procedures for establishing a soccer program. Jim retired from teaching and the Athletic Director position in June of 2011. Having spent his entire career in the Northwest Conference (student/athlete in high school and professional career at Bluffton), Jim was hired as the Commissioner of the Northwest Conference in 2013 and retained that position until June 2020.

“Upon taking the Athletic Director position in 1995, Jim became a member of both the NW Ohio Athletic Administrators' Association (NWOIAAA) and the Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators' Association (OIAAA) and remained a member until his retirement in 2011. During his membership in the NWOIAAA, Jim served on the board as a representative of the Northwest Conference and also was elected as Treasurer of the NWOIAAA. Athletic administrator awards received include the OIAAA Meritorious Service Award (2009), the NWOIAAA Athletic Administrator of the Year Award (2010, and an award for 25 years of Service to Ohio HS Athletics (2009).

“Raabe is a graduate of Delphos Jefferson High School (1971) and a graduate of Capital University (Business Administration/Accounting, 1975). After working in private business for five years he returned to school to get certified to teach and earned his Master's Degree in Business Education from Bowling Green State University,1981. He also took post-Master's Degree courses from the University of Dayton.

“Jim and Pam (retired elementary teacher) have been married for 48 years and have two adult sons. Tim, the oldest, is a computer software engineer working for a defense contractor in Arlington, TX. Tim is married (Adrian) to a nurse practitioner for the Veterans' Administration and they have one daughter. Alex is a Lutheran minister serving Oceanside Lutheran Church on Long island, NY. He is married to Chris and they have no children. Pam and Jim grew up in Delphos, OH together and lived in Bluffton for 39 years. A move to Texas was made in 2020 to help out with granddaughter Kaylee when Covid forced home-schooling upon most of the country.”