Temple University President Neil D. Theobald announced that he has nominated Kevin G. Clark to the newly created position of executive vice president and chief operating officer. His appointment is subject to approval by Temple trustees. Clark has served as vice president and athletic director at Temple since 2013.

Clark’s new role includes universitywide responsibility for the daily operation of the university. Four currently separate divisions will report to him: Intercollegiate Athletics; Construction, Facilities and Operations; Campus Recreation; and Business Services.

Before coming to Temple, Clark was senior associate athletic director at Indiana University, where he headed internal operations and was involved in various aspects of developing, financing and managing capital construction projects over an 11-year period.

“Kevin has ably demonstrated that he has the right blend of skills and experience that Temple University needs for this new portfolio, especially as we enter an era that will see substantial new construction on our campuses,” Theobald said.

“He has successfully overseen the rebirth of the Temple football program under [Head Coach] Matt Rhule, and he has extensive firsthand experience in the financial and managerial challenges of operating a large research university,” explained the president.

“I am honored to be selected for this role and look forward to helping Temple operate efficiently and effectively while capitalizing on our vast potential,” Clark said. “I am particularly proud of the significant improvements we have been able to make in our women’s sports programs during my time as athletic director.”

Patrick J. O’Connor, chair of the Temple Board of Trustees, said Clark has been an effective leader and has performed exceptionally well as vice president and athletic director.

“In my role as chair of the Board of Trustees,” O’Connor said, “I have appreciated the wisdom and expertise Kevin has shown in reshaping our athletics programs, his professionalism and responsiveness to members of the board and to the university’s many different constituents, and his keen understanding of higher education at large. I have no doubt he will continue to serve the university extremely well in his new role.”

Clark holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Grambling State University and an MBA from Webster University. The Kansas City native retired as a major after serving 23 years in the U.S. Army Reserve. He and his wife, Kendra, have four children: Kevin Jr., Michael, Ellicia and Logan.

Patrick M. Kraft, who currently serves as Temple’s deputy director of athletics, will replace Clark as athletic director. Kraft and Clark served together at Indiana University, where Kraft oversaw marketing and ticketing efforts for all of the Hoosiers’ programs. His efforts at Indiana helped increase home football attendance to its highest mark in two decades.

Kraft played football at Indiana, where he earned three degrees: a PhD in sport management (2008), a master’s in athletic administration (2005) and a bachelor’s in sport marketing in the School of Kinesiology (2000).

He and his wife, Betsy, have a daughter, Annie.