DARLENE BAKER BEGINS TERM AS USBC’S
FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT

Darlene Baker of Mahomet, Ill., officially began her term as the first female president in the history of the United States Bowling Congress on Sunday, Aug. 1.

Baker served as president-elect on the USBC Board of Directors in 2009-10. She has been working with outgoing president Jeff Boje on the direction of USBC and expects a seamless transition.“I am looking forward to working closely with the USBC Board of Directors and the staff at USBC to strengthen our membership,” Baker said.

“I know we have many loyal members and we appreciate their continued support. We must continue to find new programs and incentives not only for our current members but to entice more bowlers to join USBC.”

Baker has been on the USBC Board of Directors since the organization’s inception and has served as chair of the Strategic Planning Committee. She also has been a director on the Young American Bowling Alliance, Women’s International Bowling Congress and USA Bowling boards.

The USBC Board also has four new directors for 2010-11.At the 2010 USBC Annual Meeting in May, Mark Martin of Waterford, Mich., and Deanna Rose of Fairport, N.Y., were elected to the board. Martin is the manager of the Metro Detroit USBC Association, the largest USBC local association in the nation. Rose is an assistant vice president in human resources for M&T Bank. Carolyn Dorin-Ballard of Keller, Texas, and Michael Italia of Warrington, Pa., were re-elected to the board at the Annual Meeting.Also new to the board are Cathy DeSocio of Wichita, Kan., and Frank Wilkinson of Staten Island, N.Y.DeSocio, vice president of the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America, is president of the JOMA Company, which operates seven centers in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. She, along with Jim Sturm, are the two BPAA representatives on the USBC Board. Wilkinson, the owner of Rab’s Country Lanes, is chair of the USBC Youth Committee and will be the youth committee representative on the USBC Board.

The board selected officers at a June meeting and the officers began their one-year terms on Aug. 1. Tom Bluth of Davie, Fla., was elected 1st Vice President, Andrew Cain of Phoenix is 2nd Vice President, Dorin-Ballard is 3rd Vice President, and Marci Williams of Wichita, Kan., was selected as Secretary.For more information about the USBC Board of Directors, visit BOWL.com.