Gov. Mike Kehoe has announced Warren County Presiding Commissioner Joe Gildehaus as one of five appointments to the newly created Interscholastic Athletic Oversight Commission.

The newly formed commission will primarily hear appeals involving contest procedures and student transfer eligibility for the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA), according to the release.

The commission, established by Senate Bill 863, “will allow for a more transparent appeals process and gives the taxpayers who fund MSHSAA additional oversight in the decisions affecting students and their futures,” Kehoe added.

The commission’s decisions will be final and binding, with the Missouri Attorney General's Office representing it in any legal challenges to final rulings. Per state statute, the commission will officially begin reviewing appeals during the 2027-28 school year. “Making these appointments now allows the members to organize and establish governance and procedures,” according to the release.

“Athletics and other extracurricular activities play a critical role in building leadership, teamwork, and resilience for students across Missouri, and we must ensure that students have a fair and competitive environment to learn, grow, and succeed,” Kehoe said in a news release Oct. 23.

Gildehaus, of Marthasville, owned and operated Professional Touch Painting and Decorating Inc. for more than three decades before he was elected Warren County Presiding Commissioner in 2019. 

He is a past president of the County Commissioners Association of Missouri, serves as the treasurer of the Missouri Association of Counties Board of Directors, and graduated from St. Francis Borgia High School, according to information included in the news release.

Gildehaus told the Record he was interested in joining the Interscholastic Athletic Oversight Commission because he is also very active in high school athletics.

“I refereed high school basketball for 15-plus years, follow sports, played college football for a year or so,” he said. “That’s what got me involved. I don’t miss many games. I go all over. I think high school athletics is very important to young people, you know. That’s my main reason I wanted to be involved in this, because I think it’s important for these young athletes, student athletes, to have an opportunity to play on a level playing field.”

Sen. Jason Bean, R-Holcomb, and Representative Bennie Cook, R-Houston, sponsored the legislation creating the new commission due to a variety of issues over the years with high school sports decisions, Gildehaus said.

Anyone could apply for the five seats on the commission, and because of his background in government and involvement with high school athletics, he said, people encouraged him to submit an application for one of the positions, so he did.

Gildehaus said he was proud to be selected as one of the five. “I mean, I enjoy high school sports, I have grandkids in high school sports, and I think it’s an honor to be chosen to represent Missouri and being part of Warren County,” he said.

Gildehaus’s term on the newly created commission will run through Aug. 28, 2030. The other four appointees are Doug Bax, of Jefferson City; Don Lawrence, of St. Joseph; Jenny Monheiser, of Lee's Summit; and Steven Weaver, of Jefferson City.

“These appointees bring valuable experience in education, public service, business, and community leadership to this newly established Commission,” Kehoe said in the release. “I appreciate their willingness to serve and help ensure that the organizations overseeing student activities operate with transparency and accountability.”