Jim Donovan, a former University of Hawaii football player and associate athletic director, was approved as the UH-Manoa athletic director today by the school's Board of Regents at Honolulu Community College.

Donovan, 48, was given a five-year contract with his salary expect to be $240,000 per year plus bonuses.

Donovan, who emerged from a three-week search as UH-Manoa Chancellor Virginia S. Hinshaw's nomination, replaces Herman Frazier. Frazier was dismissed Jan. 8 following the departure of football coach June Jones to Southern Methodist. Frazier, who had held the position for 5 1/2 years, earned $250,000.

"I am delighted that Jim Donovan will be serving as UH Manoa's Athletics Director," said UH Manoa Chancellor Virginia S. Hinshaw in a release.

"Jim's vision, experience and ability, combined with his passion for UH Manoa and bond with Hawaii, make him a great match for ensuring the future success of our athletics programs."

Donovan has a degree in geography and a master's in business administration from UH. He played for UH in the 1981 and '82 football seasons under Dick Tomey and held a variety of positions within the athletic department in a 20-year stay at the school.

Donovan left UH in 2002 to begin the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl as the game's executive director.