Scott Blackmun has been named chief executive officer of the United
States Olympic Committee (USOC) on Wednesday. Blackmun, a 52-year-old
Colorado lawyer who formerly served as general counsel and interim CEO
for USOC, will become the third person to hold the post in the last 10
months.
Blackmun will replace Stephanie Streeter, who took over from Jim Scherr after he suddenly resigned in March.
Five days after Chicago's surprise elimination in the first round of
voting in October to decide the host city for the 2016 Summer Games,
USOC launched a search for a new chief executive, indicating Streeter
would not be a candidate.
“Those who know him (Blackmun) from his past life with the Olympic
movement know that there is a smart adult at the tiller of this boat,”
Doug Logan, CEO of USA Track and Field, told Reuters. “This is going to
be seen internationally, particularly from the standpoint of those who
criticized us for have an erratic leadership for the past few years, as
a sign of stability.”
As general counsel, Blackman managed the USOC's response to the Salt
Lake City bid scandal and was the USOC staff liaison to the bid
investigation committee headed by Senator George Mitchell.
Blackmun also stepped in as acting chief executive for USOC from
November 2000 to October 2001 and later became chief operating officer
of the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG).
