USOC restructures operations in run-up to London 2012

Colorado Springs, Colo. - Following a sixth-month operational review, the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) announced today the restructuring of several divisions within the organization. The moves are effective immediately.

"Our primary job is to ensure that we maximize our support of NGBs and America's elite athletes," said USOC Chief Executive Officer Scott Blackmun. "After a thorough review, I believe we can better accomplish that mission, and be better prepared for London and beyond, if we make these structural changes."

Under the new structure, responsibility for allocating financial and in-kind support to National Governing Bodies (NGBs) will be separated from Olympic Training Centers (OTCs) and other facilities. This change is driven by two considerations:

• Redistributing budgets and personnel into two divisions will allow more appropriate management of time and attention to be focused on our most significant operations.
• By having two divisions with distinct objectives, we will have more flexibility to allocate resources where they have the most impact.

Mike English will lead the Sport Operations Division, which will have oversight of the OTCs and other USOC facilities. Alan Ashley will lead the Sport Performance Division, which will be responsible for allocating financial and in-kind support to NGBs and athletes. Both divisions will report to Chief Operating Officer Norman Bellingham. 

"Mike and Alan have done an extraordinary job under the existing structure. I think we can better deliver against our mission of sustained competitive excellence, however, if our Sport Performance Division, which is responsible for allocating resources, is not also tasked with the job of operating the training centers and other facilities," said Blackmun. "Considering that the majority of our operations are on the sport side, and given Norm's extensive experience developing sport incentive structures at the USOC, having both of the sport divisions report to our COO is a logical move."

Other changes announced today include:

• Responsibility for NGB organizational development, a post most recently held by Eric Parthen, will be shifted from the Sport Division to the Executive Office. The USOC will post an opening for the position of director, NGB organizational development.
• The USOC's Marketing Division will be internally restructured so that it is comprised of five groups reporting to Lisa Baird. Those groups and their leaders are Marketing Services (John Pierce), Partnership Marketing (two groups led by Susan Goldsmith and Mitch Poll), Business Development (Jordan Schlachter) and Licensing/Consumer Products (Peter Zeytoonjian).
• Responsibility for programs in support of NGB marketing and business development will be shifted from the Sport Division to the Marketing Division and will be led by Chester Wheeler. Wheeler will work in the Marketing Services group.
• The Olympic and Paralympic communications teams will be merged into a single Communications Division headed by Patrick Sandusky.
• The USOC travel office will move to the Finance Division and report to Chief Financial Officer Walt Glover. Glover will now report directly to Blackmun.
• Paralympic sport performance will begin integrating with Ashley's Olympic sport performance team.

Today's moves follow the April announcement that the USOC would close its satellite office in Irvine, Calif., and transfer the International Relations Division to USOC headquarters in Colorado Springs.

For more information, please contact the USOC Communications Division at (719) 866-4529 or visit www.teamusa.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Tags: USOC