06
August
2008
|
18:00 PM
America/New_York

President Gee announces leadership changes

Ohio State University President E. Gordon Gee today announced changes in the university's senior leadership team. Effective Sept. 8, Tom Katzenmeyer, senior vice president of investor, media, and community relations for the Limited Brands, will join Ohio State as the senior vice president for university communications. Curt Steiner will become the university's senior vice president for government affairs.

Katzenmeyer is a nationally recognized, award-winning communications strategist. At the Limited Brands, he was responsible for the company's relationships with investors and analysts, the media, trade press and the non-profit and philanthropic community. Prior to joining the Limited Brands, Katzenmeyer worked for nearly 15 years in state government.

"I am thrilled that Tom is joining our team," said Gee. "The university is on an exciting upward trajectory, and Tom's entrepreneurial spirit and vast communications expertise are exactly what we need as we move to the next level of excellence."

Steiner has served as Ohio State's senior vice president for university relations since 2004. Under his leadership, the department has improved the institution's internal communications, expanded its electronic outreach and deepened its partnerships with government. In Steiner's new position, he will advocate for governmental and policy initiatives at the state and federal levels that will further enhance the university's teaching, research and outreach missions. During the two decades before joining Ohio State, he worked in key staff roles in state government and led his own communications firms. Currently, Steiner is a member of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and of the Ohio Capitol Square Foundation Board.

"I have asked Curt to apply his time and talents to pressing issues in the public sphere," said Gee. "His extensive background in government and public relations will help us to accomplish policy goals that will maximize opportunities for our gifted students, faculty, staff and health care professionals. Travelling throughout Ohio this summer confirmed for me that success in the governmental and public arena is imperative."

"I relish the chance to head a team to promote public policy decisions that advance Ohio State and the state of Ohio," said Steiner. "The goals are numerous, and my staff and I are eager to achieve them."

Katzenmeyer's connections with Ohio State extend several decades. In 1977, he received his master's degree in journalism from the university. He served on the advisory board for the School of Communication, from which he received the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2003. Katzenmeyer has taught media ethics at Ohio State and in winter 2009 he will co-teach, along with leaders from NetJets and Nationwide, a master's-level course in corporate social responsibility at the university's Fisher College of Business.

Long active in the community, Katzenmeyer serves on the boards of the Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation, the YMCA of Central Ohio, the Columbus Clippers, Leadership Columbus and Community Research Partners. He currently co-chairs the $16 million capital campaign for the Mid-Ohio Food Bank.

The leadership changes separate two senior-level functions that were consolidated in 2004. They will enhance Ohio State's ability to strategically share information about the University with Ohio's citizens and other audiences throughout the nation. Further, the move bolsters Ohio State's capacity to devote the necessary attention to the new University System of Ohio, state budget matters, affordability and access, national public policy debates and other challenges and opportunities.