DENTON (UNT), Texas -- Following the resignation of Rick Villarreal last month, the University of North Texas has retained the services of Eastman & Beaudine Inc., to assist in a national search for a new Athletic Director. The search will be conducted quickly, identifying highly qualified national candidates who will lead UNT to conference and national success while providing student-athletes a high level of academic achievement.

Bob Beaudine, CEO of the firm, will lead the search process with the goal of having the new Athletic Director identified by midsummer.

During the interim period, Special Consultants to the President, Ernest W. Kuehne III (Trip) and Michael Sicuro, will examine and assess the resources, staffing and facilities of the UNT Athletics Department.

Deputy Athletic Director Hank Dickenson, who has served the department in administrative roles for more than two decades, will be named acting Athletic Director during the transition.

Plano-based Eastman & Beaudine is one of the nation's leading executive search firms in sports and entertainment, providing assessment and counsel to universities seeking to build their senior athletic leadership teams. Kuehne holds an MBA and is the founder and Senior Managing Partner of the Westlake-based investment firm Double Eagle Capital Management, LP. Sicuro has more than 30 years of experience with public and private companies and has provided growth and turnaround leadership for companies ranging from $50 million to more than $4 billion in annual revenues.

Dickenson's current administrative role includes scheduling, personnel management and oversight of external activities such as fundraising, sponsorships, marketing and promotions and media relations, among other duties.