WATERLOO - Longtime Courier sports writer Jim Sullivan has been promoted to the position of assistant sports editor.

Sullivan, 54, has been an icon in The Courier sports department for more than 25 years, covering everything from high school sports to college athletics and recreational activities. He also authors his weekly "Sully Side of Sports" column.

The native of Two Harbors, Minn., received his B.A. in journalism from the University of Minnesota in 1977 and embarked on a sports writing career that has taken him from the Mesabi Daily News in Virginia, Minn., to the Freeport (Ill.) Journal-Standard and then to The Courier in 1984.

Sullivan's duties at The Courier have included beat coverage of Iowa, Iowa State and University of Northern Iowa football. He has also been a fixture at the Drake Relays, the Iowa state high school track and field meets and the state baseball tournament.

Among the major stories Sullivan has covered are the 1991 Rose Bowl, 2000 Insight.com Bowl, 2005 Football Championship Subdivision national championship game, former Iowa coach Hayden Fry's retirement in 1998, Dan McCarney's resignation from Iowa State in 2007 and Gene Chizik's hiring at Iowa State two years ago, in addition to a number of NCAA basketball regional contests.

"I am very happy that we are able to reward Sully for his years of dedication and contributions to our department," said Courier sports editor Doug Newhoff. "He has graced our sports pages with his insight, wit and outstanding writing for many years and will continue to do so.

"Now, we look forward to his greater involvement in planning and managing our product, as well."

Sullivan and his wife, Kim, have been married for 30 years. They have a son, Pete, who is a junior and a baseball player at Clarke College in Dubuque.