OTTAWA, Kan. (ABP) — St. Louis banker and Ottawa University graduate Kevin Eichner has been named president of his alma mater and will be the university's third leader since 2006.
Founded in 1865 and based in Ottawa, Kan., Ottawa University is affiliated with American Baptist Churches-USA through its National Ministries Board. A member of the university's board of trustees since 1982, Eichner succeeds interim president Fred Zook.
Board members appointed Zook as interim following Fred Snow's departure in July 2007. Named president a year earlier, Snow resigned to "pursue other opportunities," according to a university statement released at the time.
New Ottawa University President Kevin Eichner and his wife, Marylin.
|
Eichner was president, chief executive officer and vice chairman of Enterprise Financial Services Corp., the parent company of Enterprise Bank and Trust, headquartered in St. Louis. A co-founder of the firm, he served as its CEO for six years.
Previously he was executive vice president and CEO of General American Financial, a MetLife subsidiary, for five years. He also founded Collaborative Strategies, a management consulting firm.
He received a bachelor of arts degree in social change at Ottawa in 1973 and a master of business administration degree from Harvard University in 1977.
"Kevin Eichner will serve Ottawa University well with his extensive background in strategic planning, organizational development, finance, marketing and operations," OU trustee chair Patti Wolf said in a press release.
Eichner said the post is an answer to a calling to become a university president, which he said he has felt since an undergraduate student. He reportedly turned down the presidency twice before agreeing to serve. OU officials approached him the first time three years ago, and then again when Snow resigned.
He will reside in Phoenix, Ariz., where Ottawa has a campus, for six months each year and for six months at the school's Kansas campus.
-30-