Vinn Not Interested in USATF CEO position, Loves them Ducks, by Larry Eder

In a copyrighted story in the Eugene, Oregon  Register-Guard, Curtis Anderson quotes Vinn Lananna, the Associate AD for the University of Oregon as well as the Director of Track & Field & Cross Country as stating, quite clearly, that he is not a finalist for the CEO position at USA Track & Field.

Tom Jordan, the Pre Classic meet director had given Mr. Lananna his vote of confidence for the CEO position, citing, however that he did not want to loose him at Oregon. Lananna has had a string of successes, first at Dartmouth, then Stanford and now at Oregon. A well respected coach & administrator, Lananna is an enthusiastic and visionary individual in our sport. American Track & Field’s Dick Patrick also recommended Lananna for the job.

RBR’s conjecture was why Vinn Lananna would want to leave a job where he is, truly influencing the sport on a daily basis? But, the truth be told, the type of person that the sport needs for the job of CEO is someone who knows the sport from the inside, and who also has experience in sports marketing, global advertising and can develop relationships. And, in all honesty, the same can be said for the positions held by Rich Kenah and Mary Wittenberg. 

Lananna noted to the Register-Guard that he loved Oregon, and “had the best job in track & field “.

The search and vetting process has been kept pretty closely under wraps. The Register-Guard quotes other sources as noting that Rich Kenah, 1997 World Champs bronze medalist, and partner at Global Athletics & Marketing, and Mary Wittenberg, CEO of NYRR, as two of the three final candidates for the position.

Sources close to the search process noted that the search committee worked the list down to ten candidates, then six, and now, three.

RBR has, as it tries to, stayed out of the nomination business as well as the gossip business. Both Kenah and Wittenberg love the sport, and are experienced in marketing and promoting our sport. Most importantly, they know our sport and love it.

RBR hopes that, whoever the individual is, that they know how to translate a love and knowledge of the sport with visionary sports marketing and sales.