For Immediate Release
Friday, May 12, 2017
NSIC Media Relations

BURNSVILLE, Minn. - Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Commissioner Erin Lind is excited to announce the hiring of Chris Kautza as NSIC Assistant Commissioner for External Relations/Marketing.  Kautza will officially begin his duties on June 6.

“We are excited to have Chris join the staff of the NSIC”, stated Lind.  “He has an extensive background in marketing and will continue to foster and grow the great relationships the NSIC has with its corporate partners”.

Kautza will focus on external relations and marketing of the conference, including working with various NSIC stakeholders. The position will be the liaison from the Commissioner’s Office in support of the conference development directors.  

Kautza comes to the NSIC from Winona State University, where he spent the last four years as the Assistant Athletic Director for Events and Ticketing.  A Winona State graduate and former student-athlete, Kautza was responsible for game operations and management of all WSU home events, ticket sales and operations, marketing and promotions, managing the athletic and recreation facilities for WSU, and licensing ventures for Warrior Athletics. He also assisted in fundraising through Winona State's corporate partnership program.

Prior to Winona State, Kautza worked at Duke University where he was the General Manager for Ticket Sales and Customer Service. In that position, he led the team in charge of season, group and corporate ticket sales for the Duke football, women’s basketball and men’s and women’s lacrosse teams. He helped increase average football game attendance by 15 percent during the 2012 season. Kautza also helped Duke lead the ACC in bowl game ticket sales in 2012 after the Blue Devils were selected to play in the Belk Bowl against Cincinnati.

Kautza also spent time as Duke’s Director of Group Sales and Fan Experience where he helped create marketing plans for football, women’s basketball and men’s and women’s lacrosse games while also implementing in-game contests, promotions and sponsor activities. He increased ticket sales in every sport he worked while with the Blue Devils.

Kautza holds a degree in Psychology from Winona State and a master’s degree in Sports Leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University. He was a member of the Warriors’ 2003 football team that won the NSIC Championship and advanced to the NCAA Division II Playoffs.  Kautza and his wife Stacy have two sons, Collin and Titan.