USA Gymnastics announced that former Learfield Communications VP/Business Development Kerry Perry "will become" the organization's new President & CEO, according to a front-page piece by Alesia, Kwiatkowski, Evans & Woods of the INDIANAPOLIS STAR. She will take over Dec. 1 as the Indianapolis-based NGB's "first female CEO in almost 20 years." The position has been "vacant since March when former President Steve Penny resigned in the aftermath" of an investigation into how USA Gymnastics "handled allegations of sexual abuse." More than 100 women "came forward with allegations of sexual abuse against former USA Gymnastics Dr. Larry Nassar." USA Gymnastics learned of allegations against him in '15, but "did not report them to authorities until five weeks later." Penny, who had headed the nonprofit since '05, resigned after the USOC board "called for him to step down in February" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 11/8). The AP's Will Graves noted Perry "doesn't have a gymnastics background." But she said that her "top priority is in line with the governing body's renewed emphasis on the protection of more than 150,000 members -- the vast majority children -- at 3,500 clubs in the country." Hibbett Sporting Goods VP & General Counsel David Benck, who served as Chair of the seven-person search committee, said that Perry was "approved by a unanimous vote." Perry "takes over one of the Olympic movement's most high-profile programs, one that captured 105 Olympic or world championship medals since Penny began his tenure" in '05 (AP, 11/7).
