USA Swimming officially downsized its BOD from 35 to 15 members, including nine entirely new members, through a series of votes at its annual convention in Jacksonville on Saturday. New board members include MGM Studios COO and former Latham & Watkins partner Chris Brearton and Gold Medal-winning swimmers Natalie Coughlin Hall and Maya DiRado. The NGB decided in '17 to shrink the board and give it fewer operational responsibilities to modernize its governance structure. The old USAS board included committees that directly managed tasks now handled exclusively by its paid executives. Six members of the old board will remain, including Jim Sheehan, who had served as chair over the last five years. The new board will elect its own officers later this month.
ALCOHOL GETS THE OK: USA Swimming’s 600-member house of delegates voted to allow the NGB to serve alcohol and recognize alcohol sponsors at elite events such as the USA Swimming National Championships and the TYR Pro Swim Series. Alcohol marketing is still banned at youth events.
