Knispel Elected Next President of NebGolf
Kelley to Serve as Vice President
OMAHA (December 15, 2025) - The Nebraska Golf Association conducted its Annual Meeting on November 21 at Hillcrest Country Club in Lincoln, and new officers were elected, including Omaha's Ryan Knispel, who will become the Association’s next president.
Knispel will serve as president of the organization for the 2026-27 term. He will be the 35th president in NebGolf's history, and has served on the NebGolf board since 2018. He takes over for Kearney's Mike Bryson, who has served as President the past two years, leading the Association through an incredible period of growth.
Knispel has been on the board since 2015, and has served as the Chair of NebGolf's Tournament Committee since 2020, and previously chaired the Junior Committee before that. Knispel is a longtime tournament player, who won the 2019 Nebraska Four-Ball Championship with Ryan Nietfeldt of Elkhorn, another board member.
"Originally, I wanted to get involved to help where I could with the tournament aspect and to assist in a revamp of the Golfer of the Year point system," Knispel said. "Over the years, on the tournament side, it's been quite rewarding seeing the joy that all the men, women, seniors, and juniors all get from playing and competing in our events. Above and beyond that, the growth of golf in our state, specifically junior golf, has been awesome to see...both in quality and quantity. Our Youth on Course program has helped support many kids have the opportunity to play golf when maybe they wouldn't have otherwise - it's been a fantastic program."
Knispel has operated an insurance agency in Northeast Nebraska for the past 27 years, and now has offices in West Point, Hooper and North Bend. He has golf memberships at The Pines Country Club in Valley and Indian Trails Country Club in Beemer.
A Fairbury native, Knispel has began playing the game since he could stand up. He played in his first NebGolf event when he was just 14-years-old.
"My parents introduced me to golf, and as a kid, I played golf with them it seems like daily starting as far back as I can remember," Knispel said. "My parents still play every day and my dad continues to shoot his age dozens of times each summer at 77-years-old. We took summer vacations, which almost always included playing golf, and it's been great to continue to share the game with them, as well as my own family, who enjoy and appreciate the game at various skill and interest levels."
Knispel graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 1994, where he majored in Business Administration with a minor in Psychology. He was a two-time All-American while competing for the NWU men's golf team, and was inducted into the NWU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010.
The opportunity to lead the organization for the next two years was one Knispel could not pass up. Now a father of five, Knispel has been well versed in the junior golf scene as well, including with his son Spencer, who played golf at Central Community College and enjoys competing in NebGolf championships. His love for golf and drive to make NebGolf better will set the stage for the future.
"I have always enjoyed the competitive aspect of golf, along with the process of getting better, getting worse, learning, and trying to improve," Knispel said. "As I've gotten older, I greatly appreciate the relationships and friendships I have been blessed to have through golf."
Tom Kelley of Omaha will serve as Vice President under Knispel during the same term. He is the Chairman and CEO of Five Points Bank, where he has been since 2011. Kelley is a member at Happy Hollow Club and Omaha Country Club, and has been on the NebGolf Board since 2018.
Growing up in Omaha, Kelley learned the game from his father at Lakeshore Country Club, now Council Bluffs Country Club. He is a graduate of Creighton Prep, and went on to play golf collegiately at Creighton University. He has competed at a high level throughout his career, playing on the 1992 Kansas-Nebraska Junior Cup team, finishing runner-up at the 2007 Nebraska Match Play and qualifying for the 2013 U.S. Mid-Amateur.
"I really enjoy that (golf) provides a great vehicle for both competition and comradery," Kelley said.
Kelley graduated from Creighton University, and went on to earn JD and MBA degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He was an attorney at McGrath North for a decade before moving into the banking industry.
A father of three, Kelley has also seen the opportunities for junior golf in the state expand significantly. His children all played the game, with his middle son, Tommy, signed to play golf at Nebraska next year. All that has led to him giving back to the game in numerous ways.
"I have a passion for golf," Kelley said. "I love the NebGolf mission and have a tremendous appreciation for NebGolf's contributions to the game."
The rest of the slate included new three-year terms for current directors Will Andersen of Dakota City, Carrie Bostar of Lincoln, Brian Csipkes of Gretna, Tom Everett of Omaha, JJ Green of Grand Island, Doug Kristensen of Lincoln.
In addition, Andrew Sajevic of Elkhorn was elected as a new member of the Board of Directors. Sajevic is a five-time Nebraska Amateur Champion, and one of the most accomplished amateur golfers in the state's history. He is a Market President at Five Points Bank and a member at Omaha Country Club. His father, John, is a past president of the Nebraska Golf Association.
Find out more about NebGolf and its Board of Directors at the button below.
About NebGolf
The Nebraska Golf Association (NebGolf), founded in 1966, is comprised of all members of public and private clubs and/or municipal or regional golf associations which utilize an approved handicap service recognized by the USGA and provided by NebGolf. Our mission is to uphold and promote the game of golf and its values to all golfers in Nebraska. Among the duties of the Association include governance of member clubs and service as their handicapping and course rating authority, conduct of state golf championships, local USGA qualifying & other notable competitions, promotion of junior golf, presentation of worthwhile educational programs and support of allied golf organizations in Nebraska. The Nebraska Golf Association is an Allied Golf Association of the USGA and carries out core services including Handicap Administration and Oversight, Course Rating, Rules of Golf and Rules of Amateur Status, Tournaments and USGA Championship Qualifiers and USGA Initiatives and Community Programs.
