Kenneth G. Andres, Jr., (Haddonfield, N.J.) has been named the interim executive director of the National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association (NISOA), succeeding Dr. Raymond Bernabei, who passed away on September 5,2008, after leading NISOA for 33 years.

NISOA is an organization of more than 5,000 soccer officials that trains, certifies and provides qualified referees for the college soccer community throughout the country. Andres will serve in an interim capacity pending the selection of an individual to lead NISOA on a full-time basis.

“The American soccer community lost an icon with the passing of Dr. Raymond Bernabei, who was the recognized leader of the intercollegiate soccer officiating community,” said Andres. “Thanks to the vision and leadership provided by Ray Bernabei over the last 40 years, NISOA has become recognized as a strong, vibrant organization of great people dedicated to one thing- serving the college soccer community. Ray built the framework for NISOA and taught us the leadership skills necessarv to succeed and improve this great organization, which we will do.”

Selection as NISOA's Executive Director marks yet another achievement in the life of the 54-year old Trenton, N.J., native, who has enjoyed unparalleled success throughout his career as a both player and referee, reaching the pinnacle in both areas. Andres is believed to be the only person to have participated in state high school and NCAA Championship Finals as both a player and referee.

Inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame and the Mercer County Hall of Fame in 2002, Andres was also a recipient of the Robert E. Sumpter Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2001 for his service as a National Clinician. Andres served as the President of NISOA for 2003-04 and continues to serve as legal counsel, a National Clinician and the NISOA College Rules Interpreter and liaison with the NCAA Men's and Women's Soccer Rules Committee. He was voted New Jersey Soccer Coaches Referee of the Year in 1987 and 1994 and the Intercollegiate Soccer Official's "Man of the Year" in 1989 and 1997.

Andres was a member of Steinert High School's (Trenton, N.J.) 1970 squad that won the NJSIAA Group IV state championship, finishing 17-1-3. A defensive stalwart, he helped that Steinert team allow only four goals in 21 games. Andres went on to star at Swarthmore College, where he was a three-year varsity starter and captain the 1974 team that went to the NCAA Division III national finals.

Although he distinguished himself as a superb player, Ken has been even more outstanding as an official, earning recognition as one of the top referees in the nation and a leader in referee education. A member of NISOA since 1976, the Intercollegiate Soccer Officials of New Jersey, the Central Jersey Referees Association and the United States Soccer Federation, he has been cited countless times for his work as an author and instructor with the referee boards.

Andres really made his mark as a college referee, becoming a fixture in major college playoff games. Named a National Referee in 1984, he has refereed more than 100 college tournament playoff matches, including 54 national semi-final or championship games in NCAA Men's and Women's Division I, II and III, NAIA Division I Men's and NJCAA Division I Men's. He has officiated in the ACC, AIO, Big East, Big Ten, Conference USA, Ivy League and the Patriot League.

A prominent trial attorney with the firm of Andres & Berger, P.C., in Haddonfield, N.J., Andres is certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a civil trial attorney. He was named the New Jersey Professional Lawyer of the Year in 1998 and elected President of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America-New Jersey in 1999. A recipient of the Trial Attorneys of New Jersey Civil Trial Bar Award “For Distinguished Service in the Cause of Justice” in 2006, Ken currently represents as a National Governor for the American Association for Justice and is an adjunct professor of law at Rutgers University-Camden Law School. He was also named as the Top Civil Trial by South Jersey Top Personal Injury Lawyer by SJ Magazine, Top 100* SuperLawyer by the publishers New Jersey Monthly and listed in the Best Lawyers in America.

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