USA Swimming’s new Board of Directors met for the first time since its September election on Saturday and elected Bob Vincent to the position of chair. The newly-created position replaces the former role of president at the head of the table of the Board of Directors; USA Swimming CEO Tim Hinchey also holds the title of president.
Vincent replaces Jim Sheehan, who had served as Chair of the Board from 2014-2018. Sheehan remains as a member of the Board of Directors.
Also elected to leadership roles were former U.S. Olympian and athlete representative Davis Tarwater as Vice Chair and NCAP CEO Tom Ugast as Vice Chair Fiscal Oversight. All were voted on by the 15-member board and all will serve in those positions for the duration of their terms on the Board of Directors.
According to Policy 2.4 of the Governing Policies of the USA Swimming Board of Directors, the chair’s primary jobs include ensuring that the Board acts in accordance with its own policies and to make decisions ‘consistent with the Board Process and Board/Management Delegation policies.’ The full description of the role of chair is below:
All 3 voted into new positions, Vincent, Tarwater, and Ugast, are among the 9 new members of the Board of Directors voted on this year in a major overhaul of the governance of USA Swimming enacted this year. All 3 were also voted in for only 2 year terms, meaning they were among the lowest vote-getters by the relevant voting bodies (House of Delegates or athlete representatives) from their respective pools of elected candidates.
“I am very humbled to have been elected Chair of the [USA Swimming] board and inspired to lead this exceptional group of dedicated volunteers,” Vincent said. “I look forward to working alongside Tom and Davis, and am thrilled with the important significance of electing an athlete represented to the highest ranks of our governance. There are many exciting, innovative, and positively-challenging opportunities on the horizon and I feel confident that we have the right mix of individuals to guide and support the staff in navigating these initiatives.”
Brief bios:
- Vincent was elected and served on the board of the Professional Services Council, the Voice of the Government Services Industry. He serves on the Board of Directors of Florida Citrus Sports, scouting NCAA football in the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12 Conferences for the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl and Russell Athletic Bowl. He’s also the founder, President, and CEO of VW International, Inc. – a healthcare facilities company.
- Ugast is the CEO of the Nation’s Capital Swim Club in the Washington D.C. area. The club is one of the biggest in the country with approximately 50 coaches and 1,850 athletes in their competitive program.
- Tarwater represented the U.S. internationally for more than a decade beginning with the 2001 Goodwill Games and finishing with the 2012 London Olympics. Since retiring, he cofounded Gulfstream Capital, LLC, a Private Wealth Management firm in Knoxville, TN. He currently serves as the Board President of Tennessee Aquatics, the Webb School of Knoxville Board of Trustees, the YMCA of East Tennessee as well as the USA Swimming Investment Committee and the National Board of Review. He is serving as one of 3 athlete representatives on the Board of Directors.
New At-Large BOD Members:
- Chris Brearton* – 4-year term
- Dr. Cecil Gordon – 3-year term
- Jeanette Skow* – 3-year term
- Jay Thomas – 3-year term
- Tom Ugast – 2-year term
- Robert Vincent – 2-year term
Returning BOD Members:
- Jim Sheehan, 2014-2018 Chair of the Board
- Dale Ammon, Western Zone (Non-Coach)
- John Bradley, Central Zone (Coach)
- John Roy, Southern Zone (Coach)
- Mary Turner, Eastern Zone (Non-Coach)
- Jim Wood, National Team Steering Committee Chair
Athlete BOD Members:
- Natalie Coughlin – 4 years (12-time Olympic medalist)
- Maya DiRado – 3 years (2016 Olympic gold, silver, and bronze medalist)
- Davis Tarwater – 2 years (2012 Olympic gold medalist)
Full Press Release from USA Swimming:
DENVER, Colo. – In its first official meeting since being elected in September, the USA Swimming Board of Directors today named Bob Vincent to the position of Chair, Olympian Davis Tarwater to Vice Chair and Tom Ugast to Vice Chair Fiscal Oversight for the duration of their terms.
“Today’s officer appointments continue to enhance the powerful and important transformation of one of this country’s most notable sports governing body’s board of directors,” USA Swimming President & CEO Tim Hinchey III said. “The entire staff and I look forward to working with Bob and the members of the board to further enhance our commitment to our athletes, members and the sport across the country.”
New USA Swimming Board of Directors Chair Bob Vincent added: “I am very humbled to have been elected Chair of the [USA Swimming] board and inspired to lead this exceptional group of dedicated volunteers. I look forward to working alongside Tom and Davis, and am thrilled with the important significance of electing an athlete represented to the highest ranks of our governance. There are many exciting, innovative, and positively-challenging opportunities on the horizon and I feel confident that we have the right mix of individuals to guide and support the staff in navigating these initiatives.”
A USA Swimming board member since 2016, Vincent was most recently the Vice Chair Finance (now the Vice Chair Fiscal Oversight). He has been involved at all levels of swimming governance including serving as the president of a parent-owned team. He is an active official for Potomac Valley Swimming (PVS) and previously served as the Eastern Zone Officials Chair.
After serving as a Member-at-Large and member of the Audit/Investment Committees he was elected as the Treasurer of PVS and served in that position from 2012 to 2015. He has also served on the USA Swimming Investment Committee.
Vincent was elected and served on the board of the Professional Services Council, the Voice of the Government Services Industry. He serves on the Board of Directors of Florida Citrus Sports, scouting NCAA football in the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12 Conferences for the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl and Russell Athletic Bowl.
Vice Chair Tarwater represented Team USA for over a decade, beginning in 2001 with the Goodwill Games in Brisbane, Australia and culminating in 2012 at the London Olympic Games. Since London, Davis cofounded Gulfstream Capital, LLC, a Private Wealth Management firm in Knoxville, TN. He currently serves as the Board President of Tennessee Aquatics, the Webb School of Knoxville Board of Trustees, the YMCA of East Tennessee as well as the USA Swimming Investment Committee and the National Board of Review.
Vice Chair of Fiscal Oversight Ugast currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Nation’s Capital Swim Club, one of USA Swimming’s largest member clubs. The team counts approximately 50 coaches and 1,850 athletes in its competitive USA Swimming program, as well as 350 swimmers in the developmental program and one swim school. Additionally, Ugast serves as the General Chair of PVS.
Congrats Bob!
Where are all the women?
What I thought was interesting was that the athlete reps, primarily a younger voting demographic, voted 2 of their 3 representatives on the BOD as women. The ‘adults’ only have 2 women out of their 12 representatives on the BOD.
While the 2/12 is disappointing, the 2/3 brings some hope for the future. For wont of a more immediate solution to the gender inequality issues at the top levels of the sport, at least it appears as though ‘time’ might help solve some of the problems.
Congrats to Davis Tarwater…Future Senator from TN!