Please review the full position and candidate specifications available in the 2019 Board of Directors Call for Nominations.  Apply no later than Wednesday, May 15, 2019.  The application form is now available.

We are honored that you are interested in serving as a member of the USA Swimming Board of Directors.

Four at-large Board members will be elected by the House of Delegates this year.  To fulfill the composition requirements set forth in the Bylaws, at least one of the to-be-elected directors must be a coach member of USA Swimming, and at least one must reside in the Central Zone.  These two criteria may be met by the same individual.  

The Nominating Committee will screen applications and propose to the House of Delegates a ballot with the names of at least two, but no more than three, vetted nominees for each of the four seats open for election in 2019.

Consistent with the Bylaws and Board Policy, the Nominating Committee seeks to identify candidates who are highly qualified to serve on the governing board of a high profile and highly successful $40 million (annual budget) nonprofit. 

Per Board policy, at its February 2019 meeting the Board affirmed as its charge to the Nominating Committee the following criteria to emphasize in its screening of potential nominees for Board positions in 2019.   A candidate will have skills and attributes including:

• Past demonstration of commitment to USA-S, or a “demonstrable connection to the sport.”
• Governance experience, e.g. knowledge and skills in policy-making, legal and fiduciary responsibilities.
• High-level (board or management) experience in setting standards for/overseeing a multi- million-dollar corporation.
• Financial literacy.
• Demonstrated ability to participate productively in group processes.
• Professional relationships/associations that may be beneficial to USA-S.
• Commitment to support and adhere to the Board’s governing documents (Bylaws, Governing Policies, etc.).
• Ensuring diversity within the Board’s composition (gender, ethnic, age, geography, etc.).
• Each Board member is required to make an annual personal financial contribution to the USA Swimming Foundation. The demonstration of support, rather than the amount of the contribution, is of principal importance.  Board members are expected to contribute within their individual means.
• For incumbent or past Board members seeking re-nomination, fulfillment of individual Board members’ responsibilities.

In our effort to recommend highly qualified candidates, we will use a comprehensive selection process. This includes:

• May 15, 2019: Deadline for Candidate Applications. Please note that late applications will not be considered by the Nominating Committee.

• Prior to applying, applicant must satisfactorily complete a USA Swimming background check at https://www.usaswimming.org/background-checks.
• Upon completion and submission of this online application, applicants should receive an automatic verification of submission.  

• Late May – mid June: All candidates who, based on their application and background check, appear to be qualified will be invited to participate in an initial telephone interview with a minimum of two Nominating Committee members.
• June/July: Based on initial phone interviews, those candidates the Nominating Committee wishes to advance for further consideration will be invited to a second interview with at least two other Nominating Committee members. Candidates will be invited to ask questions pertaining to the Governing Policies and structure of the Board and organization.
• July/early August: The Nominating Committee shall consider the merit and qualifications of all candidates who have fulfilled the screening process set forth above. It shall address the Board composition requirements of seats to be filled in the current nominations/elections cycle* (see Bylaws Article 504.2 re: athletes, coaches, zone geography, semi-independent status, etc.). Consistent with satisfying the composition requirements and drawing from the pool of vetted candidates, the Nominating Committee will recommend at least two, but not more than three, nominees for each seat open for election.
• Early August: Proposed nominees will be invited to submit a biography/nominee statement (not to exceed 250 words) and a photograph, which will be distributed with a list of all nominees to the House of Delegates no later than August 15, 2019.

• September 11, 2019: USA Swimming Board of Directors meeting. Candidates are welcome to observe the last regular meeting of the 2018-19 Board of Directors.

• September 12-13, 2019: The Nominating Committee will host a “Meet the Candidates” Forum at the United States Aquatics Convention in St. Louis, Missouri at a time to be determined, giving each proposed nominee a few minutes to introduce themselves to attending Delegates.

• September 14, 2019: The USA Swimming House of Delegates elects new Board members at its Annual Meeting. New Board members will be seated at the Board meeting immediately following the House of Delegates meeting.  Subject to Board composition requirements, the candidates with the highest number of votes shall be elected to the Board. 

Though future Board terms will be four years, the transition to the new Board size and structure requires that terms be staggered, so that approximately one-quarter of terms will expire in each successive year.   Of the four Board members being elected by the full House of Delegates in 2019, the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes will serve a four-year term, and the other two candidates elected will serve a three-year term.

If the coach candidate and the Central Zone candidate receiving the highest number of votes are not among the two highest vote-counts, they will automatically be elected to serve three-year terms.  As stated above, these two criteria may be met by the same individual.

Board members elected in 2019, at the completion of the designated term, will be eligible for re-nomination and election to one successive term of four years.

Required Attendance at Board Orientation:  Those nominees elected to the Board are required to attend in person an orientation to be held October 3-4, 2019 at USA Swimming’s headquarters in Colorado Springs.

If you have questions, or for additional information, contact:

USA Swimming Nominating Committee c/o Lucinda McRoberts, Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel
Email:     lmcroberts@usaswimming.org
Phone: (719) 866-3591