The USA Skilled Tennis Affiliation is thrilled to announce the appointment of Brian Dillman as its new Chief Government Officer. Brian will exchange John Embree, who introduced in April his intention to retire from USPTA on the finish of 2023, after main the affiliation for greater than 11 years.
Brian grew up in Texas and says he was a comparatively achieved tennis participant as a nationally ranked junior, Division I school participant at The College of Illinois and knowledgeable. Nicely, he earned $72 as knowledgeable! So, he determined to start out a profession as a USPTA tennis skilled in 1990.
With expertise in sporting items, health and the style business, Brian has accomplished a little bit of all the things, from senior management, gross sales improvement, world advertising, sourcing, logistics and provide chain. Previous to becoming a member of the USPTA, Brian was a well being and wellness chief with experience in new enterprise improvement, new markets and new expertise as CEO of miha bodytec.
Brian has labored for world leaders in a wide range of classes together with Wilson Sporting Items, Cervelo Bicycles, Peter Millar, Rodd & Gunn and miha bodytec. He additionally has in depth worldwide expertise residing and dealing in Munich, Toronto and London.
Assertion from incoming USPTA CEO Brian Dillman:
“I’m honored and humbled to steer the group. Tennis and racquet sports activities professionals affect our total business from freshmen and grassroots applications to Grand Slam champions. Our business is in a state of nice flux, and now we have challenges we have to face urgently and head-on. All racquet sports activities are experiencing excellent participation development, however a lot of our professionals are ageing out and we’re not recruiting sufficient new professionals to fill at this time’s demand, not to mention the long run want for a multi-skilled skilled. Change is tough for a really conventional business, however not inconceivable.
The Racquet Sports activities business is creating new alternatives day by day for profession development, market growth, talent improvement and management. Our function in that is to be on the forefront of certification, profession improvement and Protected Play, whereas being your advocate within the business. We should proceed to develop stronger relationships with all of our business companions and endorsees — we’d like one another to teach and promote racquet sports activities professionals who’re licensed and credentialed.
I look ahead to working with the USPTA Board of Administrators, Government Committee, the workers at HQ in Lake Nona and each USPTA member. I can not wait to satisfy with and hearken to our members to find out how we are able to enhance our group and put together for the following 10-15 years forward. Thanks to the search committee for placing your belief in me.
‘We’d obtain extra if we chased the dream and never the competitors.’ – Simon Sinek”
Further background data on Brian:
Brian explains that tennis is his life. From the age of 12, he’s been concerned in some facet of tennis and racquet sports activities. From being a nationally ranked junior from Texas, to enjoying school tennis on the College of Illinois, to changing into a licensed USPTA Elite Skilled in 1990 by John Ingram in Dallas, Texas. Brian describes his mentor, Nony Michulka, as an incredible function mannequin and says her imaginative and prescient on how you can be an ideal skilled is his guiding star. He says Michulka was a professional, she might train, handle members, mentor new professionals, volunteer, run tournaments, home children who wanted assist, take them to tournaments and provides all of them the robust love they wanted once they wanted it. She recruited Brian proper out of school to develop into a instructing skilled. Then she laid out a profession plan for him to show, be a match director, handle members, run a professional store and far, far more.
Along with her steerage, Brian spent his first 1 ½ years as a instructing skilled, USTA Umpire, match director and volunteer with USTA Dallas. He was additionally closely concerned with the Dallas USPTA (and was a member of their softball group). Educating and studying concerning the business led Brian to a chance to work for Wilson Racquet Sports activities: First in gross sales, then junior advertising, then worldwide advertising (residing in Germany) and finally GM of the racquet sports activities division. He says he’s seen all of it, from the grassroots to Grand Slams.
“All through that have, I touched all racquet sports activities from participation to product improvement and to grassroots improvement, and what’s the frequent denominator? Educating professionals,” mentioned Dillman. “The business doesn’t work with out you (us).”
Most just lately, he was elected to be the president of USTA Chicago District, and says from their perspective within the grassroots tennis world, there’s a determined want for brand new tennis and racquet sports activities professionals to fill the pipeline to satisfy the excessive demand of a booming tennis market.
Response from USPTA management:
“I’m very joyful on behalf of the USPTA board and all our members to welcome Brian Dillman as our new CEO. The USPTA Search Committee performed an intensive search and interviewed many viable candidates for the place. The committee unanimously agreed on Brian as being the most effective candidate for the job. He’s USPTA licensed, has labored within the sports activities business and has worldwide senior administration expertise,” mentioned Trish Faulkner, incoming USPTA president. “The board is happy to start out working with Brian on new and present initiatives. A serious merchandise will probably be a five- and ten-year strategic plan to boost member advantages and enhance business relations and the patron advantages of hiring USPTA licensed professionals. Brian is unquestionably the fitting CEO to make the USPTA stronger within the racquet sports activities business.”
“Whereas we’re sorry to see the retirement of John Embree, we’re extraordinarily excited to announce Brian Dillman as the following CEO of the USPTA. The search was thorough and we really feel now we have the fitting individual to steer the USPTA into its subsequent 100 years,” mentioned Wealthy Slivocka, the 2022-2023 USPTA president. “The board and the manager committee have the utmost confidence in Brian, and we’re all wanting ahead to working with him as we enter a brand new chapter for the USPTA.”
Brian and his spouse will probably be relocating to Lake Nona and so they have three grown youngsters. He at present performs on two USTA league groups, performs leisure pickleball and has dabbled in Padel. He additionally performed squash extensively whereas residing in Europe.
Please be part of us in extending a heat welcome to Brian as he embarks on this thrilling journey as our CEO. We look ahead to an period of continued development and success underneath his management. Brian will start work on December 11 and can assume duty of the USPTA on January 1, 2024.
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