Inductee Details

Kevin Eichner

Graduation Year: 1973
Induction Class of 2021
Sports: Football
Kevin Eichner

Kevin was a four-year letterman on the Braves football team, playing on offense as a fullback and roving linebacker on defense his first two seasons, on all special teams, and as starting inside linebacker in his junior and senior years. He and his senior teammates earned two conference championships (KCAC ’70, HAC ’72) and won the 1972 Mineral Water Bowl championship, finishing that year ranked sixth nationally in the NAIA. A special highlight to Kevin was trouncing Baker all four years!

Current/Past Business, Profession or Occupation:
Kevin is currently Chancellor Emeritus, having served as OU’s CEO since 2008. Prior to OU, his successful business career featured stints as founder of Collaborative Strategies, Inc., a strategic management consulting company, and as CEO of two publically traded companies: GenAmerica Metlife, and then as president/CEO of Enterprise Bank and Trust, which he
co-founded in 1988—a firm which has grown to over $10 billion in assets.

OU Connection/Involvement:
Kevin has served on the OU Board of Trustees since 1982, chairing the board for five of
those years.

Contributions To OU Athletics:
During Kevin’s tenure as chief executive, OU’s athletic teams grew from 14 in 2008 to 57 currently, now supporting more than 1,300 student athletes—the most of any NAIA institution in America. The tremendous growth in athletic programs has been matched by the number and quality of exemplary athletic facilities in which many millions of dollars have been invested in Kansas and Arizona.
In the past 13 years, OU athletic teams have been selected to compete in unprecedented numbers in conference championships and national playoffs with outstanding results. The quality of our student athletes has been recognized nationally in terms of conference and All-American designations, with many programs earning NAIA scholar athlete and character awards annually. Athletic department leadership, coaches, and support staff have also grown tremendously in number and in capability. Today, it can truly be said that very few institutions rival OU in the size, caliber, and overall success of their NAIA athletic programs.

Family Members:
Wife – Marylin Eichner ’00 | Parents – Darrell & the late Anna (Pederson) Eichner
Sons – Adam, Andrew & Kyle | Sisters – Karen (Eichner) Adams ’78 (long time former registrar at OU) and Karmen (Eichner) Johnson | Brothers – Ryan Eichner and Reed Eichner
Grandchildren – Mason, Dylan, Colin, Addison, Cordelia, and Axel