Puerto Rico's Professor Candido Velez is the new General Secretary of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Track & Field Association (NACAC), effective January 1st, 2014. He took over from George Peryer, who managed the association's business in Kingston, Jamaica.
Victor Lopez, NACAC President, in a release also disclosed that the "completion of the NACAC Office Transition Process from Kingston to San Juan" has been completed on December 31st, 2013.
Lopez, in the same release said: "Professor Velez is a well known individual of the NACAC Athletics Family since he has been a major player in the NACAC area development program in the Race Walking discipline and, for the last decade, in the technical and organization of major championships and regional games."
Professor Velez graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1975 from the University of Puerto Rico – Rio Piedras Campus with a major in Education with specialization in Physical Education. He retired from the Puerto Rico Department of Education in 2006 and while he was active as a teacher for 30 years, at the same time, he was giving his services and experiences to the NACAC area.
Since the early 80s he has been officiating Race Walking events in the NACAC area and in the 90s became and International Race Walking Judge and a member of the IAAF Race Walking Judges Panel. He has worked as a RW Judge in all major competions and championships, including World championships and Olympic Games.
In 2010, Professor Velez was the Competition Director and organizer of the Athletics competition of the CAC Games that were held in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.
"Professor Velez is a very dedicated and hard working individual and for his services to the NACAC area and the IAAF he was awarded the IAAF Veteran Pin in 2011 at the IAAF Congress in Daegu, South Korea," said Lopez.
"Professor Velez will be available to run the NACAC 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," added President Lopez.
