USA CURLING BOARD OF DIRECTORS ANNOUNCES LEADERSHIP CHANGES AND DEPARTURES
November 2, 2022.
The Board of Directors of USA Curling met to accept the resignations of three Directors and elect new leadership.
Along with USA Curling Board Chair Lynn LaRocca, Independent Directors Shane Coppola and Hawley McLean resigned. All three have served with distinction, devoting countless hours on behalf of our sport. Each has provided perspectives and ideas that have been valuable, and we thank them for their time and dedication.
Upon accepting their resignations, the Board elected Bret Jackson as Chair, and Colin Hufman as Vice Chair. Bret, who was elected to the Board at the October 21, 2022 Members Assembly, has served in various capacities at the National, Regional and local level of our sport. He is the immediate Past President of the Detroit Curling Club, and serves on the USA Curling Board as a representative from the Great Lakes and Midwest Curling Associations.
"Athletes, whether they are recreational or high performance, are who this organization needs to be dedicated to serving," said Jackson. "I am volunteering to help be part of the change, and I hope many of my fellow grassroots curlers join me. Together we can show how special this sport and its people are."
Colin Hufman, who started his journey in the game at the Fairbanks Curling Club, is an Olympian and currently part of Team Shuster. A member of the USA Curling Athletes’ Advisory Council since 2017 and a Director since 2020, Colin was also elected in 2020 by his athlete peers to serve as our sport’s representative on the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee Athletes’ Advisory Council.
Raised in clubs, ups and downs, doing the work.
“When I think of home, I think of being in the Fairbanks Curling Club where my mom, dad and sister still curl,” said Hufman. “I’ve seen the ups and downs of competitive and recreational curling in this country over the years, largely influenced by the Olympic and Paralympic movements. I’m invested in this community and am committed to doing the work along with an exciting new leadership team and many other volunteers across the United States curling landscape.”
USA Curling Interim CEO Dean Gemmell looks forward to collaborating with Bret, Colin, the Board, and most importantly, the entire curling community. Gemmell noted that, “I know Bret and Colin from spirited competition on the ice, and have always respected their commitment to not only playing our sport but taking on the responsibility to help make it better. All of us at USA Curling pledge to listen, learn, and work with all our members to move the sport forward.”
USA Curling is sponsored by Columbia Sportswear, Toyota, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Training HAUS, Brakebush, ISS (Ice, Sports & Solar), and Sitrin, and is partnered with IHG, Rock Solid Productions Inc., Laurie Artiss Ltd. – The Pin People, and United Airlines.
