DES MOINES, Iowa (November 26, 2018) – Iowa Soccer will start 2019 under a new Executive Director (ED). Following the end of year departure by longtime ED Harold Kahler, Dan Cataldi will be filling the role.
Kahler was Iowa Soccer’s first ED and has served the association for 22 years. His tenure is marked by bringing best practices to the governance side of the organization and overseeing programming growth. Kahler expects to be actively seeking his next professional endeavor in 2019, insisting he’s “not done yet!”
Cataldi, who resides in Windsor Heights, comes to Iowa Soccer after nine years with the American Red Cross in Iowa. His background at the Red Cross includes leading the disaster cycle services team and leading the fundraising team in Iowa as the Chief Development Officer.
A familiar face in the soccer community, Cataldi attained National referee status. He officiated games at the Iowa State Cup as one of Iowa’s top referees and represented the state at the Regional and National levels of the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series. An injury forced his retirement, but he has kept involved in the game as a coach and was serving as the State Referee Administrator (SRA) for the Iowa Referee Committee when hired; he has since resigned that position to avoid any conflicts of interest.
“I’m excited to lead a fantastic team that is passionate about the sport and dedicated to improving the experiences of players, coaches, referees and fans throughout the state,” said Cataldi who added “I look forward to working with clubs throughout the state to determine how Iowa Soccer can better serve them.”
“On behalf of our team, we wish all the best for Harold. He’s been a steady influence for many years and our organization is better for it. He claims he isn’t retiring, but we hope he does take time to enjoy his new schedule!” said Jenny Wood, Director of Marketing and Communications. “…and Dan brings a new dimension to our team. We’re excited for him to help us keep moving the game forward!”
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