Ron Ratner is in his 26th year with the Northeast Conference and is the longest-tenured full-time employee in conference history.
Ratner was promoted to Senior Associate Commissioner in October, 2013. He has served two stints as Interim Commissioner (in 2006 and 2009) during his tenure, which began in July, 1998 when he was hired as the league's Assistant Director of Communications. Ratner was promoted to Assistant Commissioner in December, 1998 and to Associate Commissioner in June, 2002.
Ratner directs the NEC's external relations efforts, serves as the publicity contact for men's basketball and tennis. As executive producer of NEC basketball and football telecasts, he is responsible for scheduling contests, acquisition of on-air talent, coordination of in-game and pre-taped features, and the production of NEC promotional spots. Ratner oversees the league's digital media initiatives, and orchestrated the launch of NEC Front Row - the league's groundbreaking digital network - in August, 2012. He also directs the content of the NEC's official website and has facilitated numerous upgrades and redesigns to the site over the course of his tenure.
Ratner organizes and administers NEC Championships in men's basketball and tennis, coordinates the production of the annual NEC Basketball Tournament program, and conducts the NEC academic awards and Commissioner's Cup programs. He is also the longtime NEC liaison to the NCAA Men's Basketball Committee and served on the NCAA FCS East Region Advisory Committee from 2004-07.
Prior to his arrival at the NEC, Ratner served as Sports Information Director at Hunter College in New York City for six years from 1992-98. While at Hunter, he served as the Publicity Director for the Skyline Athletic Conference from 1993-95 and the Met Wrestling Conference from 1994-98, while also serving as a radio analyst for CUNY Athletic Conference basketball. Ratner also took on media relations roles at various New York City-based events, including the 1996 World Series and 1998 Goodwill Games.
Ratner graduated summa cum laude from Brooklyn College in 1990 with a bachelor's degree in Business Management and Finance. He earned his master's degree in Sports Management from Brooklyn College in 1992.