James “Kodi” Kodrowski (Alabama-Huntsville ’01) is an entrepreneur, and at 45, plays professional hockey for the Singapore National Team. After starting in the oil and gas industry, Kodi built a life in Singapore, where he now runs a financial services firm. He was vital in the formation of the team in Singapore and is the current president of the Singapore Ice Hockey Association (SIHA). Kodi is also representing Singapore in the 2025 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championship happening in Querétaro, Mexico, from April 27 – May 3, 2025. He joined The ATO Show from the ice rink for his interview. Kodi grew up in New Jersey and started playing hockey on a frozen pond behind his house with cousins and friends. He played junior A hockey in Montana before walking on to the Division I team at the University of Alabama-Huntsville, where he studied engineering. Though Kodi didn’t arrive at college with any knowledge of fraternities, he found himself drawn to the people in ATO. They were academically serious, involved in community outreach, and committed to athletics—qualities that aligned with Kodi’s values. He attended leadership conferences and met fellow members. After graduation, Kodi accepted a role with an international oil company because of one pitch: “We’ll pay to fly you around the world.” Eventually, he settled in Singapore after meeting his now-wife. There, he transitioned out of the oil industry and into entrepreneurship, starting in restaurants (a nod to his mother’s dream of owning one), and later building a financial services company, Right Choice Capital Group. Today, Right Choice operates in Singapore and the Philippines, providing business loans to small and mid-sized enterprises. The company has grown into a group with a technology arm and a stake in a small bank. Kodi is also deeply engaged in advocacy work through his businesses, promoting financial literacy, healthy lifestyles, and support for underprivileged families. Kodi was instrumental in forming the Singapore National Hockey team. He began by playing casually in Singapore and volunteering to help run the local hockey association. Eventually, he took an active role in helping the association gain local recognition from Singapore’s sports authority. After local recognition, Kodi led the process of applying for and securing membership with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). This membership was necessary for Singapore to compete in international tournaments and officially field national teams. Once recognition was in place, Kodi helped create the men’s national team. He coached the team for the first few years, and in 2016, when he was granted citizenship in Singapore, he was invited to return to the team as a player. He had to lose 20 pounds to keep up with his teammates who are half his age.
