US Sailing to hire new leadership

US Sailing, as the National Governing Body for the sport of sailing in the United States, will be hiring a new Chief Executive Officer. Sports and entertainment industry leader Alan Ostfield (above) was hired in April 2021, filling the position that had been vacant since the departure of previous CEO Jack Gierhart on November 2020. But now Ostfield is out too… here’s the official statement:

Alan Ostfield, who has been instrumental in driving the organization’s recent transformation, will step down from his role and transition to an advisory position for the Association.

Under Ostfield’s leadership, and the strategic vision of the US Sailing Board of Directors, US Sailing has undergone a significant transformation, elevating the organization’s professionalism and aligning it more closely with its obligations as the NGB to the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and the broader sailing community.

Over the past four years, Ostfield and his team have implemented critical improvements, including professionalizing the staff with a talented new leadership team and many key staff members, ensuring financial accuracy and transparency, hiring Marcus Lynch as the new High Performance Director to rebuild the Olympic operations, ensuring that the sailor athletes have their important and required voice, building trust and confidence with the USOPC, and developing a corporate partnerships department that has since created more than a dozen new partnerships.

“The Association is substantially better off today than it was when the transformation began, as a result of the hard and good work of Alan and his team,” said Richard Jepsen, President of US Sailing’s Board of Directors.

“Changes of the magnitude needed in the Association and expected by the Board are never easy, and the staff worked hand-in-hand with the Board to make the desired progress. The Board greatly appreciates the incredible work and accomplishments of Alan and his team and knows that the foundation that has been created will lead to even better things ahead.”

“With the improved performances at the 2024 Olympic Games, as well as at the 2024 Youth World Championships and Youth European and World Fleet Championships, it is clear that the US Sailing Team is on the right path,” said Brian Keane, Interim Chair of the US Sailing Foundation and a member of the search committee that led to the hiring of Marcus Lynch.

“I was pleased to partner with Alan to get Marcus on board and know that, with Marcus at the helm and other improvements the Association has made, the US Sailing Team is poised for good things for years to come.”

With the foundation of the desired transformation complete, and the common time for national governing body leadership changes to occur after Olympic Games, this transition is well-timed. Ostfield will continue to serve as an advisor to the Association, including providing guidance on key strategic and operational matters and serving on the search committee for the new CEO, and remain involved to ensure that the transition to new leadership is seamless.

As Alan formally steps down on August 30, he leaves behind a legacy of excellence, with US Sailing positioned for continued success under new leadership.