Jim Kahler inducted into the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation Hall of Fame

The College of Business’s Jim Kahler was recently named to the COSMA Hall of Fame because of his outstanding accomplishments in the sports business.

Jim Kahler, executive in residence for the Department of Sports Administration and the College of Business, was officially inducted into the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) Hall of Fame and received the organization’s Biz Connector award in February.

“I am truly humbled by this recognition and feel that it’s a direct reflection of our entire faculty and staff who are the most committed group I have ever worked with,” Kahler said. “It takes a village to raise a family and we have a very special family and community that has been built over the last 55+ years.”

Kahler is known for building business relationships to help provide opportunities to students looking to move into the sports business industry. For nearly 15 years, he oversaw the daily operations of the AECOM Center for Sports Administration, linking faculty, students, and alumni to sports-related organizations and businesses.

During his time as the center’s executive director from 2005 to 2020, the Master of Sports Administration graduate program was ranked first in the world seven out of the past nine years by Sports Business. In addition to his dedicated leadership in the AECOM Center for Sports Administration, Kahler has raised over 2.5 million dollars in donations from alumni and industry members for OHIO’s sports management program.

Kahler received his BSBA from Xavier University in 1980 and later earned his master’s degree in sports administration from Ohio University. Before returning to OHIO, Kahler spent the previous three and a half years at Arizona State University, where he helped develop the MBA Sports Business Program. From November 1991 to July 2002, he served as the senior vice president of sales and marketing for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Rockers.

“Jim is, by definition, a ‘biz connector,’ as his induction into the COSMA Hall of Fame is a direct reflection of his ability to innovate and connect the growing sport industry into our curriculum,” said Jim Strode, chair of the Department of Sports Administration. “We are proud of Jim’s service to Ohio University and the discipline of sport management. Jim consistently challenges our students to be dynamic and adaptable to the changing sport business environment.”

ABOUT COSMA

The Commission on Sport Management Accreditation is a specialized accrediting body whose purpose is to promote and recognize excellence in sport management education worldwide in colleges and universities at the bachelors, master's and doctoral levels through specialized accreditation.