Page 150 - Speedhorse February 2020

NEWLY APPOINTED OQHRA Executive Director Kole Kennemer
Photos courtesy Kole & Brianne Kennemer
OQHRA Executive Director Kole Kennemer
Following the unfortunate and unex-
pected passing of its Executive Director in August, the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association hired a new Executive Director in January. Debbie Schauf served the association for 23 years and had successfully worked to help guide the passing of legislation in Oklahoma that was integral for the state’s racing industry. Accomplished and respected as she was, finding her successor would be a tall order.
After an extensive search, nearly 200 applicants, and multiple rounds of interviews, OQHRA hired Kole Kennemer to serve as the new Executive Director. He brings to the position executive level experience in finance, accounting, and management, with eagerness to serve and work with the horsemen of the association.
Kennemer is a sixth generation Oklahoman, having grown up in Western Oklahoma on
land that his ancestors secured at the turn of the 20th century. The state recently recognized this historical importance with a special certificate designating it as a Centennial Ranch. Much of Kennemer’s youth consisted of following his dad as they worked cattle horseback for area ranchers and spent time riding on his family’s ranch. Kole’s parents, Vaughan and Karla Kennemer, live on the ranch south of Elk City, Oklahoma.
After graduating high school with
honors, Kennemer attended Oklahoma State University where he graduated in three and a
half years with degrees in finance, accounting, and management. Given that he graduated a semester earlier than he had planned, he was afforded the opportunity to move to Washington, D.C., to work for United States House of Representatives Congressman Frank Lucas of Oklahoma. Lucas was serving as the House Agricultural Committee chairman at that time, so Kennemer was exposed to the behind-the- scenes processes and insights of both the commit- tee and the House of Representatives as a whole.
Following his time in D.C., Kennemer returned to Oklahoma to accept a job with an international, public oilfield company as
a Regional Financial Analyst. This opportunity gave him great insight into successfully work- ing with a fast-paced and complex business and yielded experience in maximizing assets to best serve the company. Kennemer plans to use
this knowledge for the association to ensure OQHRA’s resources are used to their fullest capabilities on behalf of the membership.
Kennemer was then recruited to work at a privately held, growing oilfield services com- pany as a CFO. In this position, he worked with the owners to successfully grow the company’s financial standing and their footprint within the
148 SPEEDHORSE, February 2020