ST. LOUIS – July 30, 2024 – The St. Louis Sports Commission has hired Brad Wachler to be its new Vice President of Events. Wachler brings an ideal background for the position including extensive event management experience, local and national relationships, leadership, and broad-based expertise that will fuel the organization’s efforts to attract high-impact events to St. Louis and successfully produce them.
Prior to joining the privately-funded nonprofit Sports Commission, Wachler spent many years in college athletics administration, serving in various roles at Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, and the Mid-American Conference. From 2016 until 2022, Wachler was the vice president of intercollegiate athletics at Lindenwood University, where he was responsible for 50 sport programs, more than 1,400 student-athletes, and a staff of 150 employees. Wachler guided Lindenwood’s transition from NCAA DII athletics to the DI level and gained significant experience in fundraising, community engagement, business operations, and facility development.
In addition to his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from the University of Michigan and master’s in athletic administration from Indiana University, Wachler earned a Juris Doctor degree from Wayne State University allowing him to practice law. After departing Lindenwood, Wachler tapped into his law background to launch the Sports Advisory and Consulting Practice at Lewis Rice LLC. There, he was engaged by the NCAA to consult on several projects including gender equity in college sports.
“We’re very fortunate to be adding Brad to our staff and benefitting from his vast experience and industry connections,” said Sports Commission President Marc Schreiber. “His work ethic, dedication, and affinity for St. Louis will boost our efforts to bring major events to our region and produce them at an overwhelmingly successful level. I’ve had the chance to get to know Brad well since he moved to St. Louis eight years ago, and I’m so excited about the opportunity to work with him to achieve our event and organizational goals.”
Wachler serves on the board of directors for the Special Olympics Missouri, the American Cancer Society, and United Soccer Coaches. He previously served on the St. Louis Sports Commission’s board the past eight years. Wachler, his wife Melissa, and their four children are originally from the Detroit area but have set roots in St. Louis and consider it home. “I am thrilled to join a tremendous team and organization that has accomplished so much for St. Louis and is poised to build on that success to move the region forward through the unquestionable power of sports,” Wachler said. “My family and I have adopted St. Louis as our home since moving here eight years ago, and we are inspired by this community and all it has to offer. I am fired up by the opportunity to accentuate the Sports Commission’s excellent track record and committed to attracting and creating high-impact events for this region.”
Established in 1989, the St. Louis Sports Commission is an independent, privately funded non-profit 501(c)(6) organization with an affiliated charitable 501(c)(3) St. Louis Sports Foundation. The organization seeks to use the power of sports to enhance the region’s quality of life and generate economic and social benefit for St. Louis.