New chair

Dean Brenner to head up US Sailings Olympic Sailing Committee

US Sailing, the national governing body of the sport, announced today that it has selected Dean Brenner of Wallingford, Conn. as Chairperson for the organization's Olympic Sailing Committee (OSC). In his four-year term, Brenner will lead the OSC and the athletes within the Olympic Sailing Program as they prepare for the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing, China. Brenner replaces Fred Hagedorn who served as Chair for the previous four years.

"I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as the Chairman of the Olympic Sailing Committee," said Brenner. "The challenges are significant, but so are the opportunities. Our goal for the next four years is to continue to look for new ways to increase support for our athletes and to make it easier for them to achieve their goals. I am looking forward to making a dramatic impact on Olympic Sailing in the United States."

Brenner has been involved with US Sailing since 2000. He has been a member of US Sailing's Executive Committee since 2003 and has served as the Vice Chair of the OSC during the last two years, while simultaneously serving as Chair of US Sailing's Sailor Athlete Council. Brenner also brings extensive sailing experience to the position, having won six National Championships (most recently the U.S. Match Racing Championship last September) and finishing second at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Sailing Team Trials, narrowly missing a trip to the Sydney Olympic Games.

"Dean Brenner is an accomplished sailor who is highly respected and very dedicated to the sport and excited about the Olympic movement," said US Sailing President Janet Baxter. "As a former Olympic campaigner, he knows from his own firsthand experience what our top athletes need. We're thrilled to have Dean on board to lead the OSC."

Brenner is founder and President of The Latimer Group, a consulting firm providing communication skills, public speaking and sales coaching and training for individuals and corporate teams.

The Olympic Sailing Committee (OSC) is responsible for the selection of the Olympic Sailing Team, the Pan American Games and World University Games Teams, and the annually designated US Sailing Team. The OSC Chairman is appointed by the Olympic Transition Committee for a specific quadrennium. The Olympic Sailing Committee is comprised of Olympians along with representatives from each of the Olympic class organizations and others appointed for their specific expertise.