Hightower OUT

I should have read it instead of getting all excited

E-mail should have been "Hightower Doubles Down"

She is still in good standing w/ USATF - going for the IAAF marbles so she has to step down as per regs:

Hightower steps down as USATF board chair; Miller selected to serve

INDIANAPOLIS -- USATF President Stephanie Hightower on Wednesday stepped down as chairman of the board, with the board selecting Steve Miller to replace her as chair.

This August, Hightower will stand as USATF's nominee for election to the IAAF Council. The upcoming IAAF election and the transition of her role was the impetus for her decision to resign as board chair.

"As USATF President and our candidate for Council, I wish to help provide continuity and stability in leadership change as we move into the next phase of the IAAF election process," said Hightower, who as USATF President will assume the role of board vice chair, in accordance with USATF bylaws. "Recognizing that to be successful at the IAAF I must devote significant time and effort to that endeavor, I submit my resignation as chairman of the USATF Board of Directors. It has been a true honor and privilege to serve as chairman, and I look forward to continuing to serve on the board as President and to actively pursuing a new role for USATF at the IAAF."

Hightower was elected as USATF President at the organization's 2008 Annual Meeting in Reno, Nevada. At its first meeting in March 2009, a newly constituted USATF board elected Hightower as chair. She was re-elected as USATF President in 2012, and the board most recently re-elected her to serve another two-year term as chair at the 2014 Annual Meeting in Anaheim, Calif. Miller will serve the remainder of that term as board chair, through 2016.

Hightower is CEO of the Columbus (Ohio) Urban League, the first woman to hold the position, and previously was Vice President for Institutional Advancement for the Columbus College of Art & Design. A former world-class hurdler, she has served USATF in countless capacities, beginning with USATF's Athletes Advisory Committee and including as USATF women's track & field chair and as team leader, team manager and chef de mission for Team USA at international competitions. During her athletic career, she was named to the roster of 12 national teams, held American and world records in the hurdles, and was a member of the 1980 Olympic Team. As a civic leader in her hometown of Columbus, Hightower served for five years as President of the Columbus Board of Education. She recently received the Distinguished Service Award from her alma mater, The Ohio State University, currently serves as an Advisory Officer for US Bank and is a member of several education and cultural boards.

A board member since 2009, Miller is CEO of Agassi Graf Holdings, the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education, and BILT by Agassi and Reyes. He previously served as the Executive Chairman of the Board for Power Plate International, President and CEO of the Professional Bowlers Association, Director of Global Sports Marketing for Nike, adjunct professor at the University of Oregon Warsaw School of Sports Marketing, and Director of Athletics for Kansas State University. He has more than two decades' experience as a high school and collegiate track and cross country coach, is a five-time NCAA Coach of the Year and is a member four Halls of Fame, including the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Press release here:

http://www.letsrun.com/news/2015/04/stephanie-hightower-resigns-as-chair-of-usatf-board-but-remains-as-president-of-usatf/

Out as Chair of Board, remains as President of USATF.

half a huah

This is the time for her to begin structuring the golden parachute for when she really is removed (if she hasn't already). Keep an eye on future benefit obligations line item. She knows her days are numbered so this is the time to rob the pot.

"Hightower OUT" is misleading. It should be "Hightower takes next step in plan to avoid term limits."

krispy kremlin_ wrote:

This is the time for her to begin structuring the golden parachute for when she really is removed (if she hasn't already). Keep an eye on future benefit obligations line item. She knows her days are numbered so this is the time to rob the pot.

She is counting on taking Bob Hersh's spot on the IAAF so she won't be term limited and can stay on the USATF board. I doubt she is afraid of being removed.

Deena Kastor should be next to be OUSTED!!

Deena has supported Hightower's decisions and actions from Day 1, even writing a vicious letter to the May 2015 issue of Runner's World about the "distasteful" article about USATF.

Out with Deena!! She is all about politics and not about the constituents!!

Hi, all

I'm preparing a story for Times of San Diego on Stephanie Hightower's decision to step down as USATF board chair. (She'll stay on board as vice chair as she seeks IAAF Council election.)

As noted on homepage, announcement is here:

http://www.usatf.org/News/Hightower-

...;-Miller-.aspx

Why did she step down (besides stated reasons)? What's the consequence of this move for the board and USATF? Does this reflect USATF membership criticism of the Hersh decision?

What's your theory on the move?

Please write me at

kens@timesofsandiego.com

(or just post a comment here, which I might quote).

Thanks for your indulgence.

USATF Bylaws:Article 11(D):

D. Term limits: No individual may serve on the Board for more than eight (8) consecutive years, except the President, IAAF Council Member, and International Athletes.

Article 10(D):

D. Limitation on terms: No person shall serve as President for more than eight consecutive years without a period of at least two years away from that position.

TrackCEO wrote:

What's your theory on the move?

The move be related to reduced membership because member votes were deemed meaningless. Someone who have to have access to the membership numbers to see if there is a correlation.

Great! Not really.

they then further embarassed themselves by appointing Hightower's cronie in Miller.

You know the idiot who couldn't get presidential history correct by claiming JFK didn't win the popular vote.

and the tried to compare the USATF to the Eectoral College in defending the board's asinine decision to forgo the member vote.

Yeah it's not a real confidence move for a lot of people who have had issues with the USATF. Looks like more of the same in terms of doing what's best for Hightower & Co. and not what is best for USATF.

Thank you, Becca Gillespy Peter, Lauren Fleshman and David Torrence!

Meh and more meh wrote:

She is still in good standing w/ USATF - going for the IAAF marbles so she has to step down as per regs:

There is nothing in the regulations that says she has to step down. Her term as President expires December 2016. As of right now, it is her choice if she wants to try and serve on the IAAF Council and as President/Chair.

Steve Miller is no great shakes, am I right?

Is No Great wrote:

Steve Miller is no great shakes, am I right?

Steve Miller is a smart guy. Will he be any better than Stephanie? I guess it depends on your perspective. If you don't like Stephanie, you probably won't like Steve much better.

Thinking that the IAAF will automatically put the USA rep on the Council night be a misplaced thought..

IMO:

IAAF's old boy type politics will not change drastically no matter if it's Coe or Bubka at the helm. Sitting Sr VP of the Council (long time Council member Bob Hersh) getting re-elected would be a very safe bet-up around 95% or better while the freshman USA rep with no IAAF service(Hightower) getting on the council by virtue of her being the USA representative might be in the 50% area. I do not think being the USA rep is a 100% guarantee of a seat.

The female slots on the Council are there by mandate not any actual strong "Lets include more women in the higher ranks of IAAF" movement. The current six guaranteed seats for female are held by members of the Council who have strong and long IAAF track records and may have inertia on their side come election time.

The argument that Hightower has a better relationship with both Coe and Bubka and which ever gets elected would champion her more strongly than they would Hersh is at best an uninformed overreach. A more realistic view might be that the "better relationship" idea is actually made of whole cloth.

Am I, along with other long time IAAF politics observers wrong in thinking the USA has a strong chance not to have a seat on the Council after the upcoming election?

Time will tell.

BTW the idea that her blackness in the "she is a new era black woman" augment has any place at all in this conversation is pure folly.

Read more:

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=6442005#ixzz3XQLiDskZ

I post as wineturtle on various T&F boards but never have hidden the fact that it is Tom Hyland.s screen name

Why is a guy who works with tennis and bowling now the COB of USATF???