Lindenwood-Belleville hires Kaiser as new athletic director
The Lindenwood University-Belleville Athletics Department said Thurday that Ryan Kaiser is the new athletics director for the school.
“We are so pleased to welcome a leader with Ryan’s experience, vision, and commitment to our athletics department,” said LU-Belleville President Brett Barger. “We performed a national search to find the right person to build on the considerable success of our athletics programs and take us to an even higher level. We are confident that Ryan Kaiser is that person.”
“First off, I’d like to thank Dr. Barger and the search committee for this wonderful opportunity to lead Lindenwood-Belleville’s athletic department,” said Kaiser. “My father was a 35-year veteran athletic director, so I have literally grown up in world of college athletics all my life. LU-Belleville has an extraordinary opportunity to compete on the highest level within the NAIA.”
He added: “We are in a fantastic conference that is well thought of. We have a coaching and administrative staff that’s second to none and they want to see their student-athletes have success both on the courts, fields, and fairways as well as in the classroom. I can’t think of a better place where a student can get a degree of their choice, and have a chance to compete for a conference and national championships.”
Before joining LU-Belleville, Kaiser was the Associate Director of Athletics for Internal Operations at Northwest Oklahoma State University since 2012.
At Northwest Oklahoma State, Kaiser led all financial initiatives and financial management for the athletic department along with contributing in fundraising, development, and set strategic planning goals.
He was the public speaker on behalf of the athletic department and university, led the transition from NAIA classification to NCAA Division II, oversaw Men’s and Women’s Cross Country, Men’s and Women’s Golf, Men’s and Women’s Rodeo and Sports Information. Kaiser assisted in marketing, promotional activities and functions as well as strategic planning.
From 2009-2012, Kaiser was the Director of Athletics at Warner Pacific College, overseeing all 13 NAIA competitive sports.
Prior to Warner Pacific, Kaiser was the Associate Athletics Director for Compliance and Student Services at Newberry College in South Carolina from 2005 through 2009.
Kaiser was also the Assistant Athletic Director, Compliance Coordinator and Game Administrator at Western Oregon University for one year.
His resume includes being a graduate assistant football and head men’s golf coach at The Defiance College.
Kaiser earned a bachelor’s of science degree in business administration from Oregon State in 2002 and a master’s of education from Defiance College in 2004.
“My wife Corie and twin sons Carson and Caden are ecstatic to move to an area that has the metropolis feel, but is located in a smaller community,” stated Kaiser. “We feel we are getting the best of both worlds. LU-Belleville has the opportunity with hard work and dedication to build upon the many tradition successes already achieved by this fairly new institution. Lastly, we will be getting closer to family that we have not always been able to see on a regular basis, so that is exciting as well.”
His first official start date will begin at Lindenwood-Belleville on Sept. 1. Fans make sure to give him a follow on twitter @ryanakaiser.
This story was originally published August 11, 2016 at 8:40 PM with the headline "Lindenwood-Belleville hires Kaiser as new athletic director."