New leadership at US Sailing

Alan Ostfield

US Sailing has named Alan Ostfield (Pittsburgh, PA), an accomplished sports and entertainment industry leader, as the Association’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Ostfield fills a position that has been vacant since the departure of previous CEO Jack Gierhart on November 13, 2020.

“Alan offers a wealth of experience across a broad spectrum of sports and entertainment industries that will help advance US Sailing as a leading national sports organization, while helping grow the sport of sailing to new audiences,” said Cory Sertl (Rochester, NY), President of US Sailing.

“Alan has demonstrated a commitment to excellence throughout his distinguished career, and these attributes will serve him well in this leadership role with US Sailing.”

Ostfield, who joins US Sailing’s top paid position following an extensive national executive search, has a comprehensive background in several major professional sports leagues and leading live entertainment organizations.

For the past nine years, Ostfield served as the President, North Atlantic | New York & Philadelphia for Live Nation Entertainment, where he was responsible for Live Nation’s concert business in the New York City and Philadelphia metropolitan areas.

Prior to joining Live Nation, Ostfield was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Detroit Pistons and Palace Sports & Entertainment, which owned and operated multiple professional sports teams and entertainment venues, including the NBA’s Detroit Pistons, NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, WNBA’s Detroit Shock, The Palace of Auburn Hills, St. Pete Times Forum and DTE Energy Music Theatre.

Previously, Ostfield served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the San Diego Padres and as an attorney with Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering in Washington, D.C., whose clients included the Dallas Cowboys.

Ostfield has combined his experiences in professional sports with higher education, including developing and teaching “Professional Sports Leagues and Franchises” in Columbia University’s Sports Management Master’s Program and “Managing a Professional Sports Franchise” in the University of Michigan’s Sports Management Master’s Program.

His achievements were recognized nationally when Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal included him on its annual “Forty Under 40” list for three straight years, culminating in his Forty Under 40 Hall of Fame induction.

Ostfield is actively involved in other National Governing Bodies (NGB), board and community activities, currently serving as a member of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Board of Directors and the National Sports Law Institute Board of Advisors.

Ostfield earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania prior to attending Boston University, where he received his Juris Doctor’s Degree from its School of Law, and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from its Graduate School of Management.

“I want to thank US Sailing for this special opportunity and for believing in me to lead this outstanding organization,” said Ostfield. “I am energized by the prospect of working closely with our skilled and experienced board and staff, along with the many passionate volunteers who are leading the sport in communities around the country.

“Together, I believe we have opportunities to open new pathways to grow the sport of sailing, provide first-class customer service to our valued members, create rewarding partnership opportunities, continue advancing our educational programs to core customers, and reinvigorate our Olympic sailing program with a long-term approach that will inspire a new generation of sailors.”

The announcement of Ostfield’s appointment as CEO of US Sailing comes one month after Paul Cayard (San Francisco, CA) was hired as Executive Director of U.S. Olympic Sailing.

“I am looking forward to working with Alan in our quest to return the US Sailing Team to international prominence on the Olympic stage,” said Cayard. “Alan’s sports industry acumen will open new opportunities for Olympic sailing. I believe Alan will play a major role in fostering connections that lead us to a prosperous new future.”

As the organization’s leader, Ostfield will work closely with the directors, staff, and volunteers to develop and implement US Sailing’s goals, support membership and fundraising initiatives, manage a multitude of programming and partnerships, and be a strategic leader to grow the sport of sailing in the United States.

“I believe Alan’s sports management and industry experience combined with Paul’s expertise in the sport of sailing, and our current leadership team, offers a strong complimentary dynamic and a union that will strengthen the organization for years to come,” said William J. Ruh (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), Chair of the US Sailing Foundation.

Ostfield was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He, his wife Jennifer and their son Benjamin and daughter Hannah currently live in Sleepy Hollow, New York.

Source: US Sailing