Executive Team:

Richard L. Katz
President & CEO

Richard L. Katz, has over 25 years of experience in the sports industry.  He has negotiated, drafted, and reviewed hundreds of employment contracts for professional athletes.  Richard has been a Certified Contract Advisor with the National Football League Players Association since 1988 and is also been certified by the National Basketball Players Association.  

Richard received his Juris Doctor from the University of Cincinnati College of Law and has been admitted to the State Bar of Ohio.  Additionally, Richard is a highly respected member of the National Sports Lawyers Association.  Richard served on both the Board of Trustees for the United States Olympic Committee, the National Football Foundation, and the College Hall of Fame. 

Richard's reputation among NFL and NBA general managers is impeccable, and that is one reason why KMG has been able to set new industry standards by negotiating record setting contracts for its clients.


Tom Crain
Chairman & CFO

Tom Crain, businessman and KMG principal, spent 30 years in the field of financial analysis and investment management.  Tom's credentials in the financial industry were developed while working for Scudder Stevens & Clark, which is one of the most prestigious investment firms in the world. 

Tom and his wife, Cathy, both retired from Scudder, when it was sold to the Zurich Insurance Group in 1998.  Tom is a graduate of West Point, where he served 5 years in the military and earned an MBA-finance degree from the University of Cincinnati.

Tom now provides KMG with added leadership and direction, as well as assistance to clients in choosing reputable financial planners and advisors.


Tony DeBiasse
Vice President

As a co-founder, Tony has helped lay a solid foundation for KMG Sports since its establishment in the sports industry.  Tony received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Widener University and a Masters degree in Education from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio.

His college coaching experience includes tenures at the University of Louisville, New Mexico State University, University of Dayton, Northern Michigan University, and University of Cincinnati.  Having finished his Division I coaching career after 18 years he began his association with KMG in 1989 and continues today to play a vital role in the success of the company.


John Jackson
Director of Client Services

As Director of Training and Client Services, John directs the training programs and advises clients on life issues regarding career management and personal management. 

"Making the transition from collegiate athlete to a professional athlete is not easy.  There are pitfalls and dangerous shortcuts that can help or hinder an athlete's progress." 

John, along with all of KMG’s staff are experts in helping athletes make this transition.  However, because of John’s background, he is highly qualified to advise both collegiate and professional athletes.  He brings 14 years of NFL playing experience which enhances the productivity of KMG Clients.  John was drafted as a left tackle by the Pittsburgh Steelers and started 13 of the 14 years he played in the National Football League.  As an NFL All-Pro, John played in over 200 games in his career; a feat accomplished by less than one percent of the players who have ever played in the NFL.   He was voted to Sports Illustrated "Top Tackles of the Nineties". 

John graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with a bachelor's degree in police administration.


Chet Ervin
Marketing/Public Relations

Chet serves as a part of KMG’s Marketing/Public Relations.  He came to KMG from Atlanta, GA, where he spent time as a consultant with a sales & marketing company.  He brings a strong knowledge of the sports industry and because of his experience, familiarity of the transition for college athletes to the pro ranks.

Chet was a four year starter at the University of Cincinnati, as a punter/kicker.  He holds the all-time school records for career punts and career punting yards.  He graduated from the University of Cincinnati, and now resides in the Northern Kentucky area.


David Pool
Professional Consultant

David is a veteran National Football League Defensive Back who contributed to the Buffalo Bill's success in reaching Super Bowl XXV and who spent two years playing for the New England Patriots.  A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, David was a defensive back for the University of Tennessee.  While there, he was named to the first Team All-South Eastern Conference Freshman Team and was a member of Tennessee's 1985 Sugar Bowl and SEC Championship team.  He transferred his sophomore year to Carson-Newman where he was a two-time College All-American as a defensive back and receiver.  David played in three NAIA National Championship games, winning two national titles.

David received his Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology.  He brings an exceptional amount of experience and knowledge to the company.   


Jody McMillin 
Assistant to the President

In her fifth year at KMG Sports, Jody McMillin was added to enhance team member travel and client communication with the executive team.  Jody handles a variety of day-to-day concerns for both the home office staff and our clients.  She manages payroll, handles expenses, coordinates travel, and special events.

A native of Northern Kentucky, Jody is actively involved in local charities including the Taft Museum of Art and the Lord’s Gym in Cincinnati.


Client Development Team:

Ted Lambrinides PH.D.
Strength & Conditioning

As a strength and conditioning expert, Ted received his Master's degree in Physical Education and his Doctorate in Exercise Physiology.  He has served as the Director of Education for Hammer Strength since the company's inception in 1988 until 1999. 

He currently holds the position of drug education consultant to Dr. John Lombardo, Head Physician of the National Football League and is an exclusive consultant to the KMG team.  Ted has worked as a consultant for several collegiate and NFL programs including:  Stanford University, Boston College, University of Kentucky, Michigan State University, University of Florida, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Arizona Cardinals, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Ted has been interviewed by a variety of media sources (ESPN, USA Today, etc.) on strength training issues and is internationally recognized for his expertise in strength and conditioning.  He is a member of several professional organizations such as the American College of Sports Medicine, National Strength and Conditioning Association, and the American Council on Science and Health.


Joe Gentry
Speed & Conditioning

Having over 30 years of experience in training athletes, Joe served as the 2003 United States IAAF World Indoor Championships Track Coach.  He is a member of the United States Olympic Committee and has served as the Olympic Track and Field Coach for Thailand in the 2000 Olympic Games and for Sudan in the 1996 Olympic Games. 

As a result of his work as an exclusive KMG consultant, he was hired by the Minnesota Vikings as a speed and agility coach for their 2003 off-season workout program.  Joe is a graduate of Lincoln University and was honored as the 1988 Cross-Country Coach of the Year in Colorado Springs and as the 1999 U.S. Olympic Committee Development Coach of the Year.  As a renowned speed specialist, he founded the Joe Gentry Track Group, Inc. in 1989.