CEO, Daughter Found Paths to Success at Bellevue University

Busy executive Ron Kloewer was concerned that completing his bachelor’s degree after decades away from higher education would be daunting. However, his experience at Bellevue University was so positive he went on to earn his master’s degree. Kloewer’s daughter, Sarah, has found her own journey at Bellevue University – making a difference for students as the Assistant Dean of Academic Services and Support.

Advancing with the Market Through Education

Ron began his higher education journey with an associate’s degree in civil engineering, progressing through his career into a Chief Information Officer role at Montgomery County Memorial Hospital in Red Oak, Iowa.

“Modern healthcare is consistently engaged in rapid technological advancement,” he said. “I needed additional skills and aptitude to manage the burgeoning healthcare digital infrastructure and vast operational changes thrust upon healthcare staff.”

He chose the Bellevue University Management Information Systems program in 2010 for several reasons, including the school’s prominent U.S. News & World Report rankings, physical proximity of the school (about an hour’s drive) and strong reputation for online learning.

Bellevue University’s generous credit transfer policy was also a factor. “I wanted my credits from my associate’s degree experience to count as much as possible and Bellevue University was extremely accommodating in that regard,” Ron said.

Through his program, Ron gained the advancement he needed to progress his organization into the future. “The expectations placed on our people from these rapid changes demanded that I bring the best that I could to the task,” he said. “The MIS program gave me the necessary tools and the knowledge.”

Continuing on to the Graduate Level

Ron chose to pursue his Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) degree shortly after completing his bachelor’s degree. “The decision was easy,” he said.

Ron said earning his master’s degree empowered him to better serve the caregivers he leads. “This was my way of advancing a personal mission to give back to the organization that had given me so much,” he said. “Bellevue University's MHA Program provided me with the curriculum, the educators and the relationships I needed.”

Ultimately, this led him to a CEO role at the hospital. “Most healthcare CEOs come up through the ranks of finance or medicine,” he said. “Advanced technology is now foundational to a modern healthcare organization. Bellevue University helped me combine all the necessary elements to lead a complex healthcare organization as its CEO and do it successfully; I am forever grateful for the impact that Bellevue University had on my career.”

Ron retired in March, transitioning to CEO Emeritus. He also serves on the College of Business Advisory Council. “I know that if I need help with a particular subject, I can count on the folks at Bellevue University, and they can also count on me if they have a need that I can fulfill,” he said.

Love of Learning Runs in the Family

Sarah said she remembers her dad passing on his love of learning early on. She was homeschooled from second through 12^th grades, and each year she and her parents evaluated if that was still the best option for her. “I believe this early practice of curiosity and analysis that my parents helped me develop has been invaluable.”

Sarah became the first person in her family to earn a bachelor’s degree, then earned her Master of Fine Arts degree at Iowa State University. She found a continued passion for education while working in tutoring, writing and other roles at her school. “All of these experiences affirmed my interest in and commitment to working in higher education,” she said.

After working in various capacities at Miles Community College for more than 13 years, Sarah moved back to Nebraska to continue her education career. “I first got to know the university through my dad's experiences as a student,” she said. “In 2021, when I researched colleges and universities committed to open access in the Omaha area, Bellevue University impressed me and stood out as the place I wanted to work.”

Like her father, Sarah is also committed to focusing on building and maintaining relationships. “My aspiration is to keep showing up every day with curiosity, with an unwavering conviction that relationships and collaboration matter, and a belief that there is no impossible place for a student to start from on a higher education journey,” she said.

Sarah is currently working toward her doctorate of education through the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California. “The needs of our learners will keep changing as we move forward, and we will keep proactively evolving to meet students with support and excitement,” she said. “In 2025, Bellevue University was one of the few institutions to earn the Opportunity College and Universities designation from the new Carnegie Student Access and Earnings Classification.”