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Michigan president Mark Schlissel has named former Steelcase CEO Jim Hackett as interim athletic director.

(Melanie Maxwell | MLive.com)

ANN ARBOR -- Former Steelcase CEO Jim Hackett will serve as Michigan's interim athletic director after Dave Brandon's resignation from the post Friday, U-M president Mark Schlissel announced.

Schlissel named Hackett as the university's interim AD during a press conference held Friday at Fleming Hall announcing Brandon's departure after five years leading the Wolverine athletic department.

Hackett, a 1977 Michigan graduate and former teammate of Brandon under coach Bo Schembechler, comes to U-M after two decades as chief executive of Grand Rapids-based Steelcase Inc., one of the world's largest office furniture makers based.

Hackett, who retired in February 2014, was credited with steering the company through a major reorganization that shed half the company's Grand Rapids workforce. Over the years, he eliminated 12,000 jobs and cut the company's 57 facilities by more than half.

Hackett joined Steelcase in 1981, holding a variety of sales and marketing positions and climbed the ranks for over a decade, landing as CEO in 1994.

After being introduced, Hackett praised Brandon for the financial stability of the athletic department and his dedication to U-M

According to Schlissel, Hackett will assist the department in finding a new full-time athletic director. Schlissel praised Hackett for his "inter-personal skills" and called him "a highly experienced business leader."

Hackett currently serves on two university board posts in the Michigan Business School. He said Friday he hopes his fellow alumni will come together for homecoming weekend as a show of strength at U-M.

Photo gallery: U-M president Mark Schlissel announces resignation of athletic director Dave Brandon 5 Gallery: Photo gallery: U-M president Mark Schlissel announces resignation of athletic director Dave Brandon

Brendan F. Quinn covers University of Michigan basketball and football. Follow him on Twitter for the latest on Wolverines hoops. He can be contacted at bquinn@mlive.com