US Sailing: Message from the President
by Henry Brauer 7 Nov 07:41 PST
US Sailing © US Sailing
I want to take this chance to formally introduce myself and update our members on several key priorities we are currently addressing. I am honored to have been elected as President of US Sailing, and I look forward to serving our members and all sailors over the next four years.
Since the age of eight, I have been sailing, primarily concentrating on one-design and offshore sailing. For instance, this summer, I tactically supported a childhood friend competing in his National Championship on an Atlantic Class sloop, which we won. Earlier this month, my partner (my brother-in-law) and I, with our team, achieved third place at the ORC World Championship aboard our Club Swan 42, Tio Loco.
I have enjoyed serving on the US Sailing Board for the last five years and have held various leadership roles in our sport, including Past Commodore of Eastern Yacht Club and Past President of the International J/70 Class Association. My wife and I reside in Marblehead, Massachusetts, where we raised our family, and we also spend time in Northeast Harbor, Maine.
I mentioned to the Board last week in my first meeting as President, “This is a team sport, and for US Sailing to succeed, we all need to be involved.” I extend this message to our volunteers who dedicate their time to enhancing our sport, and I hope many of our members will see this as an opportunity to engage at the local, regional, or national level.
I am enthusiastic and optimistic about the future of US Sailing. The organization has made substantial progress over the past five years, and we are in a strong position to move forward positively and build upon these achievements. Our primary focus is on maintaining robust relationships with our member clubs, community sailing programs, regional sailing organizations, and corporate partners that promote and support high-performance sailing for our youth and Olympic hopefuls. Our partnership with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee has never been more robust. The Board of Directors is dedicated to strengthening these relationships and establishing new ones to benefit our members, especially our high-performance athletes.
Several critical tasks need to be tackled in the first 120 days of my presidency. These are not listed in any particular order, as each is vital and will receive the Board’s full attention.
We need to find and appoint a new Chief Executive Officer to lead the Association. A Search Committee has been established and is actively working to select an Executive Search firm to collaborate with in this endeavor.
It is essential to continue providing support to our High Performance and Olympic Program. Marcus Lynch, our High Performance Director, and his team are focused on establishing a solid foundation for the program’s future, including securing training facilities in Long Beach, working with our athletes to outline their plans for LA28, and collaborating with the next generation of athletes through the Olympic Development Program (ODP).
The Association must upgrade its current technology, specifically our member database, with new software. Our team has researched various solutions available in the market and identified the best product and provider to meet our needs. We are in the process of securing funds to implement this initiative and are excited about the value it will bring to our members and the sailing community.
There are numerous other important issues on which our professional staff and volunteers are directing their efforts to continue improving the sport for everyone. I am thrilled about the road ahead and committed to collaborating to advance our shared goals in sailing.
Thank you for your support, and I look forward to connecting with many of you during my time as your President.
Henry Brauer,
President of US Sailing
