USA Swimming on Wednesday announced that the contract for President and CEO Tim Hinchey has been extended four years through 2025.
Hinchey’s contract means he’ll guide U.S. Swimming through the 2024 Paris Olympics. He joined USA Swimming in 2017.
“I’m humbled and truly appreciative of the Board of Directors’ support of our organization’s work these last four years and their confidence in my vision for the future,” Hinchey said in a press release. “I continue to relish this opportunity that allows me to work in a sport I love, alongside the world’s greatest athletes, coaches and volunteers. It has certainly been a remarkable and unpredictable journey since July 2017, but I am confident in knowing that the organization is brimming with incredibly skilled and talented people who will help drive our future success.”
“As a lifelong swimmer, Tim’s passion for the sport, coupled with his professional experience and successful track record, made him the perfect candidate for this role, and that remains true,” USA Swimming Board of Directors Chair Bob Vincent said. “In his short tenure, Tim has strategically re-envisioned and re-aligned the organization’s focus, relationship with its members and most importantly prioritized the health and wellbeing of its athletes. Never has the organization been so experienced, nimble and well-placed to address the current challenges withing the youth sports landscape and unique Olympic quadrennial.”
Hinchey has weathered, with mixed reviews, challenges in rooting out sexual abuse within USA Swimming’s ranks, something many national governing bodies have dealt with. Among initiatives piloted under his watch are further development of SafeSport, including the SafeSport Recognized Club initiative, and investment in the Keeping Athletes First plan.
In his three-plus years in charge, he’s created a leadership team that is gender-equal. He’s authored a long-term plan that includes turnover of long-tenured employees. There’s also been an overhaul of USA Swimming’s digital platforms and increased commercialization of national-level meets, including professionalizing the Phillips 66 National Championships and the TYR Pro Swim Series.
“Tim has been a tremendous sounding board and advocate for athletes since stepping into the leadership role at USA Swimming,” USA Swimming Board of Directors Athlete Representative and 12-time Olympic medalist Natalie Coughlin Hall said. “I am appreciative of his focused efforts to create new opportunities for the sport’s top swimmers, while also ensuring that additional targeted programs and funds are available at the grassroots level to introduce new children and families to this life-changing sport.”