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CHANGING TIMES
by Otto Dietrich
Once again, the USRAs annual election for the Board of
Directors is just around the corner ... the polls will
close in early May. This recurring event invariably triggers questions
about who actually runs the USRA. At the same time, Im amazed at
the number of members who erroneously believe that Luke St. Onge is
the President of the USRA or that the Board receives some form of
monetary compensation. So, lets clear up these issues!
The United States Olympic Committee has approved the USRAs
formal constitution as part of their recognition of the USRA as the
national governing body of the sport of racquetball in the USA. A
rather awesome responsibility!
That constitution calls for the USRA to be governed by a 13-member
Board of Directors. At least 20 percent of these members must be elite
athletes and at least 20 percent must be women. Athlete members (three
persons) are elected for four-year terms from and by those persons who
have played racquetball at the elite level (i.e. National Team
members) during the past 10 years. The ten remaining Board members are
elected from the general membership for three-year terms and can be
re-elected once before resigning for at least two years.
For continuity reasons, terms are staggered so that only three or four
actually end each May. Thus, an annual election! Officers of the Board
are elected from and by the Board and serve a two-year term. After the
new board is seated each May, a vote is taken to fill any officer
vacancy that may exist.
Board members serve without compensation for their services!
This volunteer Board meets twice a year once immediately prior
to National Singles and again in the fall either September or
October at the National Office in Colorado Springs. The
meetings are very intense, 2-3 day affairs usually lasting from 8:00
AM well into the night. Of course, the USRA does underwrite the
expenses associated with these meetings.
The Board of Directors makes all key policy and organizational
decisions, and sets the direction for the USRA. Perhaps the single
most critical decision the Board makes on a recurring basis is Who
should be the USRAs Executive Director? The Executive
Director is an employee who serves, under contract, at the will of the
Board. Each year, the entire Board collectively evaluates the current
Executive Directors performance.
For many years now, the USRA has been indeed fortunate to have an
Executive Director who obviously is much, much more than just another
contract employee. The Board has empowered Luke St. Onge,
on the basis of his superior track record and proven abilities, to
manage the USRAs daily operations in accordance with established
policies. For instance, Luke makes all personnel decisions for the
paid staff at the national office, such as hiring, firing, promoting,
or disciplining. However, the Board could vote to cancel a particular
program or reduce funding to a level that would mandate a reduction in
personnel. At the far extreme, the Board could even terminate or fail
to renew Lukes contract if necessary to impose its collective
will!
The Board spends many hard hours working on the USRAs annual
budget, which largely sets the course for each years operations.
And while Luke actually negotiates most contracts, he cannot sign one
without Board approval! Therefore, he regularly seeks input from the
board to ensure that he is on the correct course. Since most of the
decisions reserved by the Board usually cant wait for the next
scheduled formal meeting, an executive committee provides the
mechanism for more rapid feedback. Board officers (President,
Executive Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary), along with one
athlete member, serve on the committee, which often meets via
teleconference to advise Luke on time-sensitive issues. Executive
Committee decisions are later subject to full-board review at the next
full meeting.
Whos currently on the USRAs Board of Directors? Well, Im
currently in my first year as President, Shelly Ogden is Executive
Vice President, Annie Muniz is Treasurer, Janell Marriott is
Secretary, and Eric Muller is the Athlete Representative on the
Executive Committee. Other Board members are athlete representatives
Malia Bailey and Dan OBremski; plus Keith Calkins, John Giunta,
Jack Hughes, Ron Maggard, Dario Mas, and Carlton Vass.
As you can see the Board of Directors and its officers set the
direction of the USRA and are largely responsible for the way it runs.
So, your responsibility for electing them shouldnt be taken
lightly! Please take the time to learn about the candidates [ballot
information will appear in the next issue] and cast your votes
accordingly! |