Nine years ago, five votes cost Scott Blackmun the job he wanted with the U.S. Olympic Committee and denied him an opportunity to finish the impassioned turnaround he started while guiding the Colorado Springs-based organization out of turmoil.
Today, the USOC will give him a long-awaited vote of confidence. The USOC is expected to introduce Blackmun as chief executive officer to replace Stephanie Streeter this morning during a news conference at the Olympic Training Center, people with knowledge of the USOC board’s decision told The Gazette on Tuesday. Blackmun didn’t return an e-mail or a message left with his secretary.
A nine-person board chose Blackmun over Chuck Wielgus, the executive director of USA Swimming. There were six finalists, including former San Diego Padres CEO Sandy Alderson and TD Ameritrade chairman Joe Moglia.
“I think it’s a very good hire,” former USOC executive director Harvey Schiller said of Blackmun. “He should have had the job nine or 10 years ago — they would have avoided some of the stress the USOC has seen in changing people.”
Blackmun, 52, of Colorado Springs, succeeded Norm Blake as acting CEO of the USOC for 11 months from 2000 to 2001, when he lost to former Maytag CEO Lloyd Ward 13-8 in a vote by the USOC executive board. Ward lasted only 1 1/2 years — a tenure marked by allegations of ethical violations and congressional hearings that prompted major reform.
USOC staffers liked Blackmun, previously the general counsel, deputy executive director and senior managing director for the USOC, because of his ability to bring consensus to a divided group of employees and his knack for restoring order amid chaos.
