Posted: December 4, 2004

Athletics: Roe elected to second term as USATF President

Bill Roe has been elected to a second term as USA Track & Field's president, leading a Board of Directors for the next four years whose composition was finalized in elections on Friday.

Roe, who ran unopposed, was re-elected by acclamation at USATF's 2004 Annual Meeting in Portland. Roe is the first USATF president to be elected to two four-year terms. Also re-elected by acclamation as an officer was Treasurer Ed Koch. Winning contested elections on Friday were Lynn Cannon who was elected secretary, and incumbent vice president Dee Jensen.

The founder in 1972 of Seattle's Club Northwest and in 1973 of the Pacific Northwest Association of USATF, Roe's resume includes work in nearly all capacities of the sport: as a coach, meet director, clinician, official, administrator, and executive.

The Bellingham, Washington, resident was a member of the founding USATF Board of Directors in 1979 and became one of three vice presidents in 1988, re-elected in 1990 to a second two-year term. In 1992 and 1994, he won the job of secretary, and in 1996 was re-elected to the position of vice president for a four-year term. He has served on the organization's Board of Directors since 1986. Roe's election as president makes him the only person in USATF history to be elected to 20 years as an officer.

The founder and past editor of Northwest Runner magazine, Roe has been a member of countless committees and task forces on the local, regional, and national level. Among his goals for his tenure as President are to reach out to coaches, build membership, establish a common rule book for officials, improve fundraising, re-establish a post-collegiate club system, and emphasize communications with and between USATF members and the track and field community at large.

In other election news, Koch of Haworth, N.J., ran unopposed for a second term as treasurer. The remainder of USATF's national officers were elected on Friday. Vice President Dee Jensen of Wahpeton, N.D., won reelection to that position with her victory over current USATF Secretary Darlene Hickman of Seattle, Wash.

Longtime USATF representative to the USOC Lynn Cannon was elected to a four-year term as the organization's secretary. Cannon, of Butte Valley, Calif., won the election over Susan Polansky of Plainview, N.Y.

Also on Friday, Fred Finke of Longwood, Fla., was elected USATF's Long Distance Running Chair. Finke defeated Don Lein of Pittsboro, N.C.

USATF's Athlete's Advisory Committee on Friday elected its officers to two year terms. Those reelected to serve again include Chair Sandra Farmer-Patrick, Secretary Erica Wheeler and Treasurer Jon Drummond. Tony Cosey will serve as vice-chair and Farmer-Patrick and Antonio Pettigrew will be USATF's athlete representatives to the USOC.

Men's & Women's Race Walk Committee officers were elected on Friday with Vince Peters winning re-election as the committee's chair. Steve Vaitones will serve as vice chair, with Sean Albert as treasurer and Ginger Mulanex as the group's secretary. At-Large Board Members include Susan Armenta, Maryanne Daniel, Michael Rohl, Mike Roth and Dave McGovern. Three more individuals will be added at a later date.

USATF elections continue on Saturday.

For more information on the 2004 USATF Annual Meeting, visit www.usatf.org.