Brad Davis, Southeastern Conference associate commissioner, has died after a short bout with cancer. He was 49.

Davis died Thursday morning at Baptist Montclair Hospital in Birmingham, Ala., surrounded by family and friends.

The Georgetown, Ky., native, had been a member of the SEC staff since 1988, first serving as an assistant commissioner until 1994 when he was promoted to associate commissioner.

In an email that Davis sent to office staff and friends shortly before his death, he wrote about how much working in the SEC and intercollegiate athletics meant to him.

"I am fortunate to be involved in the enterprise of intercollegiate athletics, where on a daily basis we are reminded of the importance of picking ourselves up, dusting ourselves off and facing the next challenge with strength and courage," wrote Davis. "I am fortunate to be a part of the SEC family. The Conference office family has rallied around me in a remarkable way ... The SEC family also extends to the extended SEC family of our officials as well as coaches and administrators at our institutions. These are people who believe deeply in value of college athletics and who have a deep love for their institutions."

Davis received his degree in journalism from Auburn in 1978 and went on to earn his Executive MBA from Auburn in 2001.

He began his professional career as a sports anchor at WVTM-TV in Birmingham, Ala., in 1978. In 1979, he became the sports anchor at WKYT-TV in Lexington, Ky., where he stayed until 1981, when he became the General Manager of Cawood Ledford Productions in Lexington.

Davis began his career in intercollegiate athletics in 1984 when he was named Assistant Sports Information Director at the University of Kentucky. In 1987, he was promoted to Sports Information Director –

a position he held until arriving at the SEC office in 1988.

"Brad spent his professional life committed to all that is good in intercollegiate athletics - sportsmanship, integrity, honesty, fairness and dedication to the benefit that championships contribute to the student-athlete experience," said SEC Commissioner Mike Slive. "He was warm, caring and was always concerned about everyone around him."

As associate commissioner in the SEC office, Davis was responsible for the development of sportsmanship policies in the SEC, played a lead role in the implementation of instant replay in football, was the conference office's liaison with men's basketball coaches and basketball officials, and coordinated league championship contracts, including the SEC Football Championship Game, which was the first of its type in the nation, among other duties.

Davis was also active in the Birmingham community. As an active member and deacon at Southside Baptist Church, he was a member of the hand bell choir and, for the last three years, spearheaded the church's Building Restoration Project. He was a night shift coordinator for the Birmingham Hospitality Network, helping those in need at homeless shelters. He was also active in Operation New Birmingham, helping to "promote communication, understanding and harmony among the diverse racial and ethnic groups in the Birmingham community."