Mount Vernon Nazarene University President Carson Castleman announced the appointment of Brad Kochis as the new chief development officer for the Office of University Advancement. He has previously served the university as the executive director of Alumni Relations and Advancement before taking his current role as the superintendent of the North Carolina District Church of the Nazarene.

“Kochis will be a wonderful addition to the MVNU family, having served the Church for the past 25 years in various roles and most recently as D.S.,” Castleman said. “His skills will be instrumental in engaging the MVNU constituents and establishing an Advancement Office that honors our past while paving the way for a bright future.”

Kochis is an ordained elder with over 27 years of ministry experience that includes service as a youth pastor in churches including Clearfork Alliance Church, Bellville, Ohio; Ashland Plaza Church of the Nazarene, Ashland, Kentucky; Ironton First Church of the Nazarene, Ironton, Ohio; and Gracepoint Church of the Nazarene in Loganville, Georgia.

In 2003, Kochis and his family moved to Ohio to plant a church with the South Central Ohio District Church of the Nazarene, where he served as lead pastor at The Refinery Church of the Nazarene in Columbus, Ohio.

The newly created CDO position includes overseeing all donor-related programs and fundraising activities for the university as well as engaging with individual donors, churches, and foundations to support MVNU’s domestic and global ministries. Kochis will also manage a portfolio of significant donors, align their interests with MVNU’s needs, and identify potential new donors.

“MVNU has played a significant role in my life since the earliest days of my faith,” Kochis said. “I’m excited to return and join Castleman and the entire MVNU community in advancing God’s mission through the university.”

Kochis is married to his wife, Melissa, whom he met while studying at MVNU. The couple has two adult children, Nathan and Rachel (Zane) Risser.

Kochis will join MVNU 15 October 2024.