USA Swimming Announces Staff Promotions and New Hires

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado, January 19. USA Swimming today announced five staff promotions in the Business Development Division and two hires in the National Team Division.

Jim Fox (Colorado Springs, Colo.), a seven-year veteran of USA Swimming was promoted to Marketing Director and will continue his role of membership marketing and recruiting programs for the organization. Fox, who served as the team leader for USA Swimming's Deck Pass program, will also continue to work on advancements for the web and mobile-based application. In addition to his on-going promotional work with the 2,800 plus clubs in USA Swimming, Fox will also handle partner service duties, including managing CeraVe, Active, TeamUnify and Universal Sports.

Former Media Relations Manager Karen Linhart (Livermore, Calif.) was promoted to Public Relations and Social Media Director and will serve as the primary media and public relations contact for USA Swimming going into the 2012 Olympic Games. A five-year veteran of the organization, Linhart will oversee publicity for USA Swimming events, its corporate partners and for the organization as a whole. She will also continue to oversee the organization's social media efforts, plus work on promotional programs including efforts to grow the sport in 2012.

Sandra Lopez (San Jose, Calif.) was promoted to Events Manager and will oversee contractual obligations for all USA Swimming events. She will have direct responsibilities for Speedo Champions Series, Zone and Junior National Championships and will work with the USA Swimming National Events Director on all other national-level events. Furthermore, Lopez will continue to work with the Open Water Development Committee to review and modify safety procedures for all open water events.

Jim Rusnak (Gary, Ind.) was promoted to Senior Manager of Editorial Properties. Rusnak serves as the Editor-in-Chief of Splash Magazine and manages the content of the USA Swimming website. In 2011, Rusnak also was at the helm of the launch of Digital Splash, USA Swimming's first online magazine, and a key contributor to the creation and launch of Deck Pass, USA Swimming's web and mobile application.

Jamie Fabos Olsen (Salem, Ore.), who has spent the last five years as USA Swimming's Communications Director, will transition to the role of Marketing & Brand Development Director where she will focus on USA Swimming's consumer marketing programs, including the America's Swim Team campaign, Olympic year campaigns and will serve as the primary marketing contact for the USA Swimming Foundation. In addition, Olsen will continue to oversee usaswimming.org and Splash Magazine as well as the team responsible for the organization's swIMPACT community relations program and multicultural marketing efforts.

The USA Swimming National Team division has hired Katie Arnold (Moraga, Calif.) and Matt Barbini (Auburn, Mass.) as a year-long Coach Fellows.

Arnold owns a Masters Degree in Sports Management from the University of Texas in Austin. She comes to USA Swimming with a strong background in the sport of swimming having been an 11-time NCAA All-American as an undergrad at UCLA. Barbini is a graduate of Boston College where he was a Big East Conference Academic All-American. He received a Masters Degree in Sports Management from the University of Texas at Austin and has an extensive background in sports statistics and sports event coordination.

Both Arnold and Barbini will work with the National Team Sports Performance division as USA Swimming gears up for its biggest events of the year – the 2012 Olympic Trials in Omaha, Neb., and the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World Magazine. It has been posted in its entirety without editing. Swimming World offers all outlets the chance to reach our audience by contacting us at Newsmaster@swimmingworldmagazine.com. However, Swimming World reserves the right to choose what material is posted.

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