KU News Release

Longtime event planner joins KU as director of ceremonies and events

Charles Persinger

LAWRENCE — Event planner Charles Persinger, who helped organize the first Special Olympics USA National Games and many other events for the Ames Convention and Visitors Bureau and Iowa State University Extended and Continuing Education, has been named director of university ceremonies and events at the University of Kansas.

Persinger will help organize and coordinate high-profile universitywide events on the Lawrence campus, including Traditions Night for new students, convocations and commencement. He will work to enhance noted off-campus events as well, such as the university’s presence at the Kansas State Fair, KU in the Capitol in Topeka and the Wheat State Whirlwind Tour for faculty and staff. Plans also call for Persinger to establish new activities such as public tours and to help units that represent KU at important trade shows and exhibitions.

Persinger will begin at KU on July 21 and will report to Lynn Bretz, director of University Communications. He replaces Margey Frederick, who retired from the university in May after serving for 11 years in a similar position.

“We are fortunate to have someone with Charles Persinger’s background, experience and enthusiasm step into this important role,” said Bretz. “He will help us maintain the high standard Margey set as well as establish new initiatives for welcoming the public to campus and help other event planners so that KU puts it best foot forward at conferences and trade shows.”

Persinger, conference sales manager for the Ames Convention and Visitors Bureau for the past six years, began his 16-year event planning career as a conference manager for Iowa State University Extended and Continuing Education. There he coordinated hundreds of conferences before taking a leadership role for the Soil and Water Conservation Society. His responsibilities included membership services, fundraising and organizing conferences throughout the United States and Canada. He also organized the National Summit on Private Land Conservation that featured then-Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman, a former Kansas congressman.

At the Ames Convention and Visitors Bureau, Persinger formulated plans for the 2006 Special Olympics USA National Games, which included coordinating a 350-plane Cessna airlift that brought 1,800 athletes to Ames and a promotional law enforcement torch run from Chicago to Iowa. His duties also involved organizing hundred of volunteers and arranging receptions, entertainment and security for athletes, visitors and VIPs including Eunice Shriver, the founder of Special Olympics.

Persinger also played critical roles in convincing the Farm Progress Show, which attracts 240,000 people annually, to develop a permanent location in Ames. He was instrumental in organizing the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals, an international academic competition held every three years in Ames. Persinger holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from Iowa State.

“I am so excited at the prospect of the being a part of the University of Kansas team,” said Persinger. “Working to enhance existing events on the beautiful Lawrence campus and to implement new activities both on and off campus in the great state of Kansas is an incredible opportunity. I can’t wait to get started.”

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The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. University Relations is the central public relations office for KU's Lawrence campus.