Roughriders CEO Jim Hopson retires: 'It's been a great ride'

Jim Hopson has officially retired. Thursday was his last day as president and CEO of the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

"It's been a great ride," Hopson said at his last media conference where he praised many people in the organization. "I've enjoyed every minute of it. Even the tough times."

Hopson has been leading the club since 2005. That was when the board that oversees then community-owned Roughriders decided to move to a governance role instead of a managerial one.

"I think that gave us credibility," Hopson said of the change in the organization's structure. "We were being run as a real business."

Hopson said the 2007 season was a pivotal year for the team. He said it was a year full of excitement and winning the Grey Cup championship added to the team's renewed vigour.

In December, the club announced that Craig Reynolds will become the new president and CEO. He was previously the Roughriders' chief financial officer.

Hopson said Reynolds will be busy.

"The next five to eight years are going to be really, like my first years, very high demand," Hopson said. "think you got a guy that's really going to fit in well with that whole change and transition."

Hopson said he is looking forward to spending time with his family and going to more Roughriders games.

"I'll be around and I'll be at the stadium on game day of course," he said.