JACKSONVILLE, Florida, September 20. JIM Sheehan, USA Swimming’s Vice President of Program Operations since 2010, has won a heated battle for the USA Swimming presidency at the United States Aquatic Sports Convention this morning.
In a contest that featured a higher level of politics than is standard for this particular position, including pressure being applied by outside forces in an attempt to get at least one candidate to drop out of the race, Sheehan managed to win in a bit of an upset this afternoon. Mary Jo Swalley had been considered the favorite throughout the past few days according to plenty of conversations at the convention, but Sheehan managed to pull out the win to become the ninth president of USA Swimming. Jeff Gudman also had his hat in the ring for the position.
[table “” not found /]Sheehan has been involved in national governance since first ascending to the officials committee in 1998. He took over as Chair of that committee in 2006 as well as worked on the Rules & Regulations Committee since that time. In 2010, he moved up to his previously highest role in the organization as the V.P. of Program Operations.
Sheehan has been an LSC official since 1987, coming up the ranks of governance that route. He’s been an official in plenty of big events, including serving as a judge at the 2012 London Olympics and as the meet referee for the 2010 Pan Pacific Championships and 2014 Junior Pan Pacific Championships.
Sheehan recently retired from his Vice Presidency at the Marsh & McLennan Companies, opening up plenty of time to focus his full efforts on the presidency.
To learn more about Sheehan’s thoughts about his presidency, make sure to check out his special SwimmingWorld.TV conversation with publisher Brent Rutemiller.
The Sheehan File
Swimming Involvement and Activity
National Governance
Vice President, Program Operations, 2010-present
OIOC, 2010-present
Rules & Regulations Committee, 2006-present
Officials Committee Chair, 2006-2010
Officials Committee, 1998-2010
LSC Governance – New Jersey Swimming
Board of Directors, 1997-present
Officials Chair, 1997-2004
Records Chair, 1992-1997
USA Officiating
Meet Referee, 2006 US Open, 2008 SC Nationals
Olympic Trials Official 1992, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012
National Championship Official since 1990
LSC Official since 1987
International Officiating
FINA Referee, 2007-present
2014 Junior Pan Pacific Championships, Meet Referee
2012 Olympic Games, Judge
2011 Duel in the Pool, Admin Referee
2010 Pan Pacific Championships, Meet Referee
2009 World Championships, Judge
2005 Junior Pan Pacific Championships, Judge
1998 Goodwill Games, Judge
Professional
Vice President, Marsh & McLennan Companies – Retired
Personal
Bachelor’s degree, Mathematics, from Rutgers College
Married, two grown children, two grandchildren
They were not “outside forces”, they were two former presidents and the current director of ASCA. They were pressuring a candidate to drop out in order to help get Jim into the position.