Carthage College Athletics

Bonn's storied career in collegiate athletics began in the northeast, after earning his Bachelor of Science degree in physical education from the University of Connecticut in 1974. He would later earn a master's in athletic administration from Springfield College the following year, where he was a graduate assistant coach. He transitioned to the physical education teacher and boy's basketball coach at Westwood High School in Massachusetts until 1982, before receiving his doctoral degree from Boston University in 1983.

He would then travel west, spending time as the assistant men's basketball coach at Western Mexico University prior to beginning his administrative career in 1983. Following nine years at Pacific University as the head men's basketball coach and director of athletics, Bonn was hired in April of 1992 as the director of athletics at Carthage College, beginning his 26-year career in Kenosha, Wis.

During the 2001-02 academic year, Bonn served as the National Association of Athletic Development Directors (NAADD) President, an organization that provides fundraising opportunities and networking within college athletics. It was his time with NAADD that helped Bonn establish an endowment that totals over $3 million today, and aided in numerous facility improvements among other general upgrades to the athletic department at Carthage.

Bonn was a recipient of numerous accolades during his time at the helm of the Carthage Athletic Department, beginning with the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Division III West Region Athletic Director of the Year honor in 2007. In 2019, he was given the NAADD Lifetime Achievement Award, and was inducted into the NACDA Hall of Fame. Bonn's leadership at Carthage led to the addition of nine varsity athletic programs, and over $50 million in facility renovations and improvements.

In June 2020, Bonn tragically passed away, shocking and saddening the Carthage and collegiate athletics community he had such an immense impact on. He is survived by his wife Michele, who worked on campus in numerous positions at Carthage, and his sons Steven, who graduated from Carthage in 2010, and Ryan, who is an adjunct faculty member in the Carthage Chemistry Department.