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DTSTART:20100224T120000
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DTSTAMP:20100120T210319
SUMMARY:Cleveland Networking Luncheons - Laing Kennedy
DESCRIPTION:Join alumni and friends of Kent State University for our quarterly Cleveland Alumni Networking Luncheons.  Wednesday, Feb. 24, at the Cleveland City Club.  Cost per ticket is $15 for Alumni Association members, $20 for non-members, which includes a lunch.  Limited seating is available; please RSVP by Friday, Feb. 19, 2010.  

Featured speaker: Laing Kennedy, KSU Director of Athletics.v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}

Director of Athletics Laing Kennedy 

It would be difficult to look at the success and tradition of Kent State Intercollegiate Athletics without taking a closer look at the man behind the curtain, Kent State's Director of Athletics Laing Kennedy.

Now in his 16th year, Kennedy continues to spearhead the Golden Flashes toward national prominence with a high standard of competitiveness. During that time, Kent State has seen 251 individual MAC titles, 87 team titles, and 84 All-America honors. 

In 2008-09, the Golden Flashes captured their fourth MAC Men's (Reese) All Sports Trophy.  On the Women's side, KSU finished second in the Jacoby All Sports Trophy standing - their 12th consecutive top three finish.

In 2006, Kennedy was honored as the Northeast Region Division I-A Athletic Director of the Year by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). It was the second time Kennedy has won the award, also receiving the honor in 2002.

Some of the highlights of Kennedy’s first 15 years at Kent State have been the addition of two new sports (women’s soccer and women’s golf); the installation of lights, a new scoreboard and seating at Dix Stadium and new for the 2005 season a state-of-the-art FieldTurf playing surface; new locker rooms in the M.A.C. Center for the volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball, wrestling and gymnastics teams; the construction of a Murphy-Mellis Field (field hockey); Olga Mural Field at Schoonover Stadium (baseball); the Golf Training Center facility; and the renovation of the entire Dix Stadium Complex including the Kent State softball stadium. One of the biggest accomplishments has been the full certification status announced by the NCAA in 1997 and again in 2004. 
His contributions extend beyond the KSU campus and into the Kent community, having served as the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the United Way of Portage County and a board member of the Kent Area Chamber of Commerce.

Kennedy also is in his fifth year as a member of the prestigious NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee, beginning his five-year term Sept. 1, 2005. He is just the second representative from the MAC on the committee.

Kennedy came to Kent State in 1994 following 12 years in a similar position at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. During his tenure, Cornell had nine national championship teams, 36 Ivy League championship teams and 102 All-Americans.

A native of Woodstock, Ontario, Canada, Kennedy earned a bachelor’s degree from Cornell in 1963. Kennedy was an All-America goalkeeper and team captain for Cornell’s ice hockey team. He earned All-Ivy League honors for three consecutive years and was named the University’s Outstanding Athlete in 1963.

He and his wife, Saundra, reside in Kent and have two daughters, Karyn and Kelly. Karyn and her husband, Sean, have two sons, Andrew and Campbell, and a daughter, Caroline.
v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}Parking for Cleveland City Club is located directly next to the building on Euclid and East 8th.  Parking tickets can be validated at the front desk of the Cleveland City Club before returning to your car.

LOCATION:Cleveland City Club
UID:401-745-4781
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