Roy Kramer
Roy Kramer began his career as a coach and athletics administrator at the high school level with stops in Hudson, Dowagiac, Benton Harbor and East Lansing Michigan, winning mythical state championships at Hudson Dowagiac, and East Lansing. Kramer coached at East Lansing High School from 1960 through 1965. In that time, Coach Kramer managed a 33-6-1 record. He won a Twin Valley Championship in 1960, a 1961 Co-Championship in the New South Central Conference, a South Central Conference Championship in 1962, when he was also named Coach of the Year for the Greater Lansing Area. Kramer had a passion for academics while he history during his time at ELHS. He was named head football coach for Central Michigan University in 1967 and held that post through 1977, compiling a record of 83–32–2. He then served as the athletic director at Vanderbilt University from 1978 to 1990.
Kramer became the sixth commissioner of the Southeastern Conference on January 10, 1990. Within seven months of his appointment, the conference announced plans for expansion, adding The University of Arkansas and the University of South Carolina officially on July 1, 1991. Following expansion, Kramer guided the conference in formulating divisional play and the first Division I-A conference football championship game. During his tenure at the helm of the SEC, the conference won 81 national championships, the most ever in a de by the league. Kramer oversaw the distribution of more than 600 million dollars to its member institutions while he was commissioner. Kramer negotiated multi-sport, national television packages with CBS and ESPN, featuring football and men's and women's basketball.
He served as chairman of the NCAA men’s basketball committee in 1992. In 1998, Kramer was responsible for the formation of the BCS and served as its first chairman. Because of his influence, the Men's and Women's SEC Athlete of the Year award is presented annually as the Roy F. Kramer Award.
Kramer was named to the Vanderbilt Athletics Hall of Fame as part of its inaugural class in 2008. He was also awarded the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award in 2008. He received the Distinguished American Award from the National Football Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Sports Pioneer award from the Sports Business Journal. Earlier this year, he received the Duffy Daugherty award for his contributions to college football.
Kramer now lives in Tennessee with his wife Sara Jo. They have three children, Steve and Sara Gray Mackin who reside in Knoxville, TN and Jane House who lives in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. They also have six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Kramer became the sixth commissioner of the Southeastern Conference on January 10, 1990. Within seven months of his appointment, the conference announced plans for expansion, adding The University of Arkansas and the University of South Carolina officially on July 1, 1991. Following expansion, Kramer guided the conference in formulating divisional play and the first Division I-A conference football championship game. During his tenure at the helm of the SEC, the conference won 81 national championships, the most ever in a de by the league. Kramer oversaw the distribution of more than 600 million dollars to its member institutions while he was commissioner. Kramer negotiated multi-sport, national television packages with CBS and ESPN, featuring football and men's and women's basketball.
He served as chairman of the NCAA men’s basketball committee in 1992. In 1998, Kramer was responsible for the formation of the BCS and served as its first chairman. Because of his influence, the Men's and Women's SEC Athlete of the Year award is presented annually as the Roy F. Kramer Award.
Kramer was named to the Vanderbilt Athletics Hall of Fame as part of its inaugural class in 2008. He was also awarded the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award in 2008. He received the Distinguished American Award from the National Football Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Sports Pioneer award from the Sports Business Journal. Earlier this year, he received the Duffy Daugherty award for his contributions to college football.
Kramer now lives in Tennessee with his wife Sara Jo. They have three children, Steve and Sara Gray Mackin who reside in Knoxville, TN and Jane House who lives in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. They also have six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.