FROM THE PRESIDENT:

By now the membership is aware that USA Boxing finds itself once again taking an 8 count.  We have temporarily lost USOC funding and A2P funding and the USOC has mandated that we change our governance as a condition for remaining an NGB and continued USOC funding.  As President of USA Boxing, I want to take this opportunity to give you a brief history of how we got into this position; discuss the USOC justification for mandating that we change our governance in order to remain the National Governing Body of Amateur Boxing; explain the benefits of the mandated new governance structure; provide you with USA Boxing BOG options; and solicit your support of the new governance structure.   I hope that after you read this letter, you will support our governance change.

BRIEF HISTORY:

Governance has been an issue since the early 1990’s when the USOC found that USAB had improperly used USOC grant funding.  At that time the USOC placed USAB on probation and mandated that the organization repay the improperly used grants. 

In 2002, the USOC identified a host of reforms that USA Boxing was required to comply with in order to be removed from probation status.  USA Boxing failed to comply with all but one of the mandates (we paid off the debt).  Two of the reform action items that were not complied with were, developing a strategic plan, and restructuring our governance.

Unlike popular rumor circulating among our membership, the USOC did not withdraw its funding and place USA Boxing on probation because Lamont Jones resigned.  USA Boxing was already on probation.  Whether Lamont resigned or not the USOC was going to hold USA Boxing accountable for complying with their mandates.  Lamont resigning and the governance arbitration issues that the former BOD President and BOD member brought against USA Boxing only accelerated their decision to withdraw funding.  Funding that was going to be withdrawn unless USA Boxing change its governance.

What we at USA Boxing have to do is take a good look at ourselves in the mirror.  We need to be honest with ourselves.  OUR GOVERNANCE HAS NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL BY ANY MEASURE.  Our medal count is down, our organization is divided, we do not have a working strategic plan, and we are not self sufficient; rather we are dependent on A2P and USOC money, both which have been withdrawn as a result of governance issues.  The primary complaints of the LBCs are that they are not represented by the elected governance, and that the national office is not responsive to their needs.  We have failed to keep an Executive Director, and failed to provide the national office with the resources and expertise to accomplish the mission and goals of the organization.  As POGO once said,“ WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY AND HE IS US!”    For 20 years our governance has tried to get the job done and failed.  We have elected and hired people who a majority of the voting membership felt were the right people for the job.  Yet those “right people” for a number of reasons were not able to get the job done.  There is no one person or interest group to blame; we as a democratic organization have failed to be able to exercise good governance.  Now, like so many other businesses and organizations throughout the United States we must undergo major reform.

The major problem with our governance is that our determination of who gets elected to office is at best based upon a candidate’s passion and commitment to USA Boxing, the relationships that the candidate has developed with the membership and the power base that the candidate is with for support to get elected.  While passion, commitment and relationships are necessary qualities of leaders, “QUALIFICATIONS” are equally important.  Our current governance places priority on politics above qualifications, it places relationships above mission.  And while we have individuals in the organization who have been able to place mission above politics, they have been to few to make the difference.

BOTTOM LINE: Under our present structure we have not been as successful as the USOC requires us to be to maintain our status as the Boxing NGB.

Change is always difficult to swallow, and mandated change is even more difficult to digest.    But if we honestly evaluate the strengths of the new governance structure I believe that you will agree it has merit.

The new governance structure is the same model that Congress forced the USOC to adopt when they determined that the former USOC governance was not working.  This governance structure is also found in most Fortune 500 clubs, college athletic departments, banks and the NCAA.  The governance structure places accountability and responsibility in the hands of the paid employees.  The Executive Director acts in the same capacity as a college athletic director.  The ED is responsible for making sure that the organization is operating effectively and accomplishing the mission and goals of USA Boxing.  The BOD is strategic and advisory, not tactical or day to day.  Like an athletic director, the ED has the authority to make decisions that will accomplish the mission.  The national office operates as professional departments; not just staff, and those department heads answer to the ED and are held accountable for accomplishing the strategic plan mission and goals that fall within their purview.  The ED in consultation with the department heads determines the volunteer committees needed to accomplished the goals and chooses those members who have the proper qualifications to support the mission accomplishment.  Tactical committees serve the ED, not the BOD.   The ED will be held accountable by the BOD not for whom he chooses, but whether or not the mission is accomplished.  The Board of Directors will not interfere with daily operations of USA Boxing national office.  They will be responsible for approving the strategic plan, setting goals for the Executive Director and evaluating the ED’s performance based on his ability to have an efficient and effective working national office, and how well he accomplishes the organizations goals.  The BOD and the ED maintain a WEB site and provide multiple opportunities via town hall meetings etc. for the membership to express their ideas and concerns regarding the organizations focus and direction.

BENEFITS OF NEW GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE:

The strength of this governance is as follows:

1.       The authority to move the organization forward rests in the hands of the person we hold responsible for the success or failure of the organization’s mission accomplishment (the executive director).

2.       The national office departments do the day-to-day operations taking direction from only the ED.  One boss, one direction, with evaluation based upon performance of duties.

3.       The Executive Director receives direction and guidance from the Board of Directors via approval of a strategic plan, a code of conduct, job description, and priority list of goals to accomplish.  The BOD evaluates the ED based upon how well he accomplishes these initiatives.  The BOD evaluates the ED’s performance; within the “code of conduct”, the ED determines how that performance will be executed.

4.       The BOD is void of political influence.  They serve the organization mission, not a power base or special interest of the organization.  Politics are held intact at the LBC level where it can be controlled and determined by the LBC. 

5.       The BOD is determined by a nominating committee that is determined by the membership.  The nominating committee reviews the candidates for BOD positions based upon qualifications, not popularity or special interest.  The nominating committee can turn down a membership nomination, but can not place anyone on the BOD that has not been nominated via the membership. 

6.       The process by which the nominating committee and the BOD are appointed provides input from all areas of the membership.  The process assures that no special interest or no power base can control the organization. 

7.       In the end, the BOD answers to the mission which means that the BOD serves the athletes and the LBCs (review new governance mission statement).   

8.       The ED answers to the BOD via the written documents that the BOD provides the ED as goals to accomplish.  The ED evaluates the national office and assures that they are accomplishing their goals, and calls upon the volunteer membership for help in accomplishing the organizational goals.  The ED must serve the LBCs if the ED wants to be successful in accomplishing the organizational goals.  The BOD must hold the ED accountable for accomplishing the organizational goals, and assure that the ED has the resources necessary to get the job done.  The membership must make sure that the best qualified individuals are serving on the nominating committee, and that they provide the nominating committee with the best and most qualified individuals to be considered for the BOD positions.

We have the following options:

We can reject the USOC governance mandate and we will be decertified as the Amateur Boxing NGB.

We can accept this new governance structure and the USOC will begin to fund the organization.

If we choose not to accept the governance structure we can fight decertification in court.  However, we will be out of money as an organization by September and our organization will cease to exist.

What about A2P?

A2P has agreed to release funding upon receipt of a letter from the USOC that USA Boxing has complied with their governance change directive.  The USOC has agreed to provide this letter to A2P following USA Boxing approval of the new governance structure.

What do we have to lose?

USOC says change governance or Decertification!

A2P says comply with USOC are no money!

USA Boxing + no money after August 31 = no USA Boxing.  USOC will not have to decertify, we will destroy ourselves.

What do we gain through compliance!

USA Boxing new governance structure:  USA Boxing decides who the ED is.  When the USA Boxing membership has a problem it goes to the ED and he discusses the issue with the membership and determines a solution to the problem.

USOC Decertification:  USOC chooses the USA Boxing ED.  When USA Boxing membership has a problem it goes to the ED.    THE ED WOULD GO TO USOC AND CONSULT WITH THEM BEFORE giving the membership a solution to the problem.

The same scenario exists for the membership regarding the BOD and the Nom Committee.

What we lose is loyalty.  The Board and the ED will first be loyal to the group that gave them their position.   If the USOC makes the picks, the BOD and the ED are first loyal to the USOC. 

Let's face it; we currently govern like our government picks Senators.  They win elections running on a party line.  When they vote in the Senate, most often they vote the party line rather than do the right thing.  We are no different.  We place party line and personal friendships before mission, fail to communicate properly with the full membership, and like the Senate, we hinder organizational growth.

If we are truly honest with ourselves we will realize that the USOC is making us do something that we could not get ourselves to do.   We have known for years that our system of governance was dysfunctional, but we were reluctant to make any meaningful changes.  I believe that if we embrace this governance change with a spirit of making it work for the good of our sport, we will reap positive results.

As President of USA Boxing I request that you fully support this new form of governance.  Vote for the best interest of the athlete.  Remember, we are here for the athlete, not ourselves.