LAWRENCE (Larry) F. PROBST, III
USOC Chairman of the Board
Lawrence (Larry) F. Probst III was elected chairman of the United States Olympic Committee board of directors on Oct. 2, 2008, and assumed duties as chairman during the 2008 U.S. Olympic Assembly that began in Orlando, Fla., on Oct. 8. In addition, he serves on the International Olympic Committee’s International Relations Commission, a post he assumed by IOC appointment on March 10, 2011.
Probst is also chairman of the board of directors of Electronic Arts, the world’s leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment. Probst joined EA in 1984 and served as the vice president of sales until 1986, followed by four years as senior vice president of the company’s publishing division. He led EA as president from December 1990 to October 1997, and was named CEO in May 1991, serving in that capacity until April 2007. Probst has been on EA’s board of directors since January 1991 and was elected to the position of chairman of the board of directors in July 1994.
Under Probst, EA navigated multiple technology transitions and made strategic investments in new platforms such as mobile, online and other emerging markets. During his tenure as CEO, the company grew its annual revenue from $175 million in 1992 to roughly $3 billion in 2006, and expanded international operations to more than 75 countries.
Before joining EA, Probst was a national sales manager at Activision Inc. and a national accounts manager at Clorox. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Delaware.
He and his wife, Nancy, have two sons, Scott and Chip.