Dear Colleagues, 

It is with great appreciation and a bit of sadness that I write to share that after more than 30 years of dedicated service to Temple University, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Ken Kaiser, FOX ’89, ’94, ’03, has decided to retire at the end of this fiscal year. His last day will be June 30, 2025. 

As some of you may know, Ken suffered a significant health event earlier this year and was out on medical leave for a period of time before returning to work. After deep reflection, he has decided to prioritize both his health and family. While I know this was a difficult decision for Ken, I support him wholeheartedly, and I am happy that he can now enjoy a well-deserved retirement with family and friends. 

At the same time, however, the significance of Ken’s departure cannot be overstated. Ken has devoted his professional life to this university and in times of challenge, he’s been a constant—a calming force in any storm. His knowledge, leadership and genuine love for this institution have helped Temple thrive and grow, as he always made decisions with the best interests of the university and our students in mind. I know I speak for the entire Temple community when I say that we are profoundly grateful for his service.  

Since joining the university in 1991, Ken has held a variety of roles, including university privacy officer, director of finance and administration for Ambler and then for institutional advancement, senior associate vice president for finance and human resources, treasurer, chief financial officer and his current role of SVP and COO. 

Before I arrived at Temple, I knew Ken was a respected Philadelphia higher education leader, as his reputation preceded him. In our time working together, he has lived up to every expectation and then some as a trusted colleague and advisor. 

It was under Ken’s watch that the university began to undergo a significant physical transformation, as he led multiple campus master plans including Temple 2020 (2009) and Visualize Temple (2014) which resulted in developments like the Science Education and Research Center, Charles Library and the Temple Sports Complex. These plans provide a strong foundation as we consider the next iteration of our broader campus planning which Ken has been leading. 

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Ken provided steady leadership, as teams across the university regularly looked to him for guidance.  He also played a key role in the evolution of the relationship between the university and Temple Health. Ken has always been a deliberate and thoughtful steward of university resources, which gained him the respect of colleagues around the university. 

The most important illustration of Ken’s impact here at Temple is not only through what he accomplished as an administrator but rather the way in which he empowered his team. If you talk to just about anyone who has ever worked for Ken, you will find that he is universally loved. He has consistently put his employees in a position to succeed, but more importantly, he then gave them the space to do it. Ken saw the potential in everyone he worked with, and he trusted them to see projects through to fruition. 

As Temple’s COO, Ken oversaw a portfolio that included budget, human resources, bursar, risk management and insurance, controller operations, treasury and investments, construction, facilities and operations, purchasing, real estate, environmental health and safety, sustainability, public safety, business services and auxiliaries. His departure leaves a big role to fill, but I know his team is well equipped for the task, in large part due to the knowledge and trust that Ken instilled in them. 

We will soon launch a national search for Ken’s replacement. In the meantime, I have asked David Marino, vice president of finance and treasurer, to serve as interim COO upon Ken’s departure.  

Once again, I want to personally thank Ken for his service to Temple University over the last three decades. He will be deeply missed.  Please join me in wishing him well in retirement. 

Sincerely, 

John Fry 
President