Two Wildcats vie to become a Colonel

This afternoon President Michael Benson announced four finalists for the position of Athletics Director at EKU. Two of the finalists have ties to UK (and one is a former Cassidy Dad).

This from President Benson (via email):

Dear Campus Community:

The national search to identify the individual who can take our athletics program to even greater heights of excellence has been narrowed to four outstanding finalists.

They are:  Jude A. Killy, Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Operations at Miami University (Ohio); Stephen Lochmueller, Owner and President of Direct Attention Inc.; Derrick Ramsey, Director of Athletics at Coppin State University; and Christopher Walker, Associate Athletics Director for Development at Washington State University.

Each finalist will spend two days on our campus for a series of meetings and forums. An open forum with each candidate will give members of the campus community and public the opportunity to meet the finalists and hear their ideas for moving EKU Athletics forward.

Jude A. Killy

The finalists’ visits are scheduled as follows: Walker, March 8-9; Lochmueller, March 12-13; Killy, March 16-17; and Ramsey, March 18-19. In each case, the open forums are scheduled for the second day, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the Business and Technology Center Auditorium (Room 049). 

Given the positive trajectory of EKU Athletics, we were blessed with an incredibly strong applicant pool of more than 60 candidates who formally sought the position. The search committee, ably headed by Nick Perlick, Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations, did a superb job of winnowing down from this group a very solid slate of finalists, and we are excited to welcome them to campus and introduce them to the Colonel family.

Killy has been at Miami University since 2008 and was named to his current position in 2012.

Stephen Lochmueller

Previously, he served from 2002 to 2007 at the University of Pittsburgh, where he was Director of Athletic Development Operations and Director of the Annual Fund-Panther Club. In all, he has almost 20 years of experience in the areas of athletics administration and sports information. Killy earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from John Carroll University in 1995 and a master’s degree in sports administration and facility management from Ohio University in 1998.

Lochmueller has held a variety of executive positions, mostly in the communications field, since 1989. Since April 2014, he has been President of Direct Attention Inc., a company he has owned many years. Previously, he was Chief Operating Officer, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lightyear Network Solutions. Among other positions, he has served as Regional Vice President for Leap Wireless, Area General Manager for Nextel Partners, Vice President and General Manager for Horizon Cellular, and CEO and Owner of Somerset Houseboats. He earned a bachelor’s degree in general studies in 1975 from the University of Kentucky, where he also played for the UK basketball team.

Derrick Ramsey

Ramsey has served as Director of Athletics at Coppin State University in Baltimore since 2008. His previous positions include Deputy Secretary of Kentucky’s Commerce Cabinet (2003-07), Athletics Director at Kentucky State University (1999-2003), and Director of Development and Community Relations at the University of Kentucky (1996-99). Ramsey earned a bachelor’s degree in general studies from the University of Kentucky, where he played quarterback on the UK football team before going on to a nine-year career in the National Football League, and a master’s degree in sports administration from EKU. He won a NFL Super Bowl title with the Oakland Raiders in 1981.

Christopher Walker

Walker has served as Associate Athletics Director for Development at Washington State University since 2008. Previous positions include: Associate Athletics Director for External Relations at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (2006-08), and Associate Athletics Director for Communications and Broadcasting and then for Development at Southern Methodist University (2000-06). In all, Walker has 20 years of experience in the areas of athletics administration and sports information. He earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from Florida State University in 1992.

To see more information on all the finalists, visit eku.edu/ad.

EKU’s new Director of Athletics will succeed Mark Sandy, who resigned earlier this year to take a similar position at Ball State University.

I encourage all those interested in meeting the candidates and hearing their perspectives on collegiate athletics generally and EKU sports specifically to attend the open forums.  This is a very important hire for the University as we continue to grapple with the ever-changing athletic landscape across the country. 

Thanks for your continued service to EKU.

Michael Benson
President