CINCINNATI – Jack Hughes of the Gainesville Sports Commission was recently elected board chairman of the National Association of Sports Commissions – the leading amateur sports association in the United States – at its Sports Event Symposium in Omaha.

“Jack will be leading the National Association of Sports Commissions in his year-long tenure as board chair. The NASC currently has more than 500 member organizations that represent more than 350 cities within the sports events industry,” said Don Schumacher, executive director of the NASC. “Jack has been in the amateur sporting industry and worked with non-profit organizations for nearly 40 years and we are looking forward to benefiting from his wealth of experience and leadership.”

For the past 11 years, Hughes has been the executive director of the Gainesville Sports Commission (GSC), the not for profit sports commission responsible for creating a positive economic impact in Gainesville and Alachua County, Florida. The GSC hosts or assists others with hosting more than 30 events annually in Alachua County and Gainesville, FL.

Hughes’ nearly 40-year body of work includes the following highlights:

• As value in-kind manager for the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games, his team raised a combined $14 million in cash and donations. He also served as the venue director for archery and cycling for the event;
  
• As the executive director of the Gainesville-Hall County (Georgia) Sports Council, he helped convince the national and international federations to move the 1996 Olympic Rowing and Canoe/Kayak venue from Atlanta to Lake Lanier;
  
• As the executive director of American Championship Ballooning, he led a team that hosted the US National Hot Air Balloon Championship, winner of the three “Top 20 Events” of the Southeastern Tourism Society;
  
• As coordinator for the Olympic Festival torch relays, he coordinated more than 30,000 miles of runners in eight states and one Canadian province; he also coordinated the 1993 relay for the World University Games in Buffalo and assisted with the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games torch relay through northeast Georgia; and
  
• As president of Environment ‘70s at University of South Florida, he coordinated the first-ever Earth Day festivities there in 1969.

In addition to his new post with the National Association of Sports Commissions, Hughes serves as president of the Gainesville Downtown Owners and Tenants, Inc.; as a director with the Gainesville Recreation and Parks and Cultural Affairs Board; and as past chair and presently alternate board member for the Alachua County Recreation Advisory Board.

Hughes has received many accolades throughout his career including being named the 1989 Marketer of the Year by the Baton Rouge Chapter of the Society of Marketing Executives International for his work with the US National Hot Air Balloon Championship; he holds a life membership in the Baton Rouge Jaycees and is a JCI Senator.

The NASC was founded in 1992 to provide opportunities to discuss industry issues, promote best practices, raise the level of professionalism, and promote the value of amateur sports. For more information, visit www.SportsCommissions.org.

MEDIA INFORMATION: If you need additional information about the National Association of Sports Commissions, specific details about the awards program, contact information for any award winners, board members or CSEE graduates, or future NASC Sports Event Symposium’s please contact Beth Hecquet at (513) 281-3888 or visit the NASC web site at www.SportsCommissions.org.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Sarah Irvin Clark, 614-296-4057