Roger Thomas was named the sixth full-time commissioner of the North Central Conference on January 17, 2005.

Thomas was the director of athletics at the University of North Dakota from July 1999-February 2005 and currently serves on the NCAA Division II Management Council. Prior to becoming athletic director, Thomas served as the UND's head football coach for 13 seasons, compiling more wins than any other UND coach and a record of 90-49-2.

Under Thomas, UND won NCAA championships in men's hockey in 2000 and football in 2001. He has also been instrumental in the opening of three new athletic facilities.

During his coaching career, Thomas led UND to five NCAA postseason appearances. He also was named North Central Conference Coach of the Year three times (1990, 1994 and 1995).

Thomas was born August 19, 1947, in Chicago, IL. He played runningback and quarterback at Augustana College (IL.), earning bachelor's degrees in physical education and history in 1969. He earned a master's degree from the University of South Dakota in 1972.

His coaching career began at Augustana College (SD), where he served as part-time assistant coach for the defensive secondary, as well as being head scout.

In 1976, Thomas was named head football coach at University of Sioux Falls. He inherited a struggling program and steered it in the right direction before leaving to join the University of North Dakota staff for the first time in April 1978.

Following the 1979 season, Thomas left and held assistant coaching positions at California State University-Fullerton, University of Minnesota and with the Toronto Argonauts before returning to North Dakota to become the 23rd head football coach in 1986.