User talk:Kesser44

Kurt M Esser (born May 12, 1966) is an American college athletic administrator. After earning a bachelor’s degree in economics from Indiana University, he started his career as a race director for the Major Taylor Velodrome in Indianapolis IN. Esser moved up within the Amateur Sports Division of the Indianapolis Parks Department to serve as Executive Director of the Indianapolis Scarborough Peace Games. At the time, the games where the largest annual amateur event.

In 1995 Esser completed his master’s in education at the University of Kansas, writing his thesis on the relational aspect of strength of athletic conferences and fundraising. After serving two years with the Illinois State University athletics department as assistant ticket manger (1994-96), Esser took a position with Host Communications, the NCAA Corporate Partner Sales Agency. Managing the Sears Collegiate Champions program, Esser managed the PR around the “Crystal Trophies” and (NACDA) Directors’ Cup. After unprecedented success and renewing the Sears’ corporate partnership, Esser joined Learfield Communications. In the Dallas office (1999-2002), Esser assisted the growth and structure development for Learfield as the company doubled the number of college properties.

Esser returned to the campus environment in November of 2002 as associate athletics director for the Nevada Wolf Pack in Reno, NV. While at Nevada, the Pack surged to national exposure in men’s basketball (2004 NCAA Sweet Sixteen) and football. Esser served as team administrator for the basketball program in wins over Michigan State (NCAA first round) and Gonzaga (NCAA second round). The New Mexico Lobos offered Esser the associate athletics director for external affairs position in July of 2007. Esser restructured the marketing and communications departments to enhance efficiencies and reduce overhead. Sport oversight (swimming and diving and men’s and women’s soccer) are additional duties to the external function. The women’s soccer team reached back to back NCAA tournament appearances (2010, 2011) and the men’s was ranked #1 in the country for a good portion of the 2011 season.

Committees/honors

In 2005, Esser was a guest speaker at the National Public Relations Society of America, Washington D.C. Esser served as president of the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA) during the 2010-11 academic year and was on the board of directors from 2005-2012. During this time, NACMA experience a dramatic increase in sponsorships and financial stability.

From the fall of 2008 through summer of 2012, Esser worked on the NCAA Division I men’s soccer committee assisting in the selection and organization of the annual national championships. Kesser44 (talk) 23:15, 17 January 2012 (UTC)