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Gordon Smith Named New USTA Executive Director

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., October 9, 2007 — Gordon Smith of Atlanta is the new executive director and chief operating officer of the USTA. In his new position, Smith will oversee the operations of the USTA and the functioning of the USTA’s national office.

Smith will start in the position Nov. 1, upon the retirement of current USTA Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer D. Lee Hamilton.

“I’ve been an avid fan and active participant in the sport of tennis for most of my life,” says Smith. “These are very exciting times for tennis and I look forward to leading the organization and our incredibly committed volunteers in creating more effective and new ways to attract people to the sport.”

Smith played competitively as a junior and captained a University of Georgia team that swept four straight Southeastern Conference titles from 1971 through 1975. He was the SEC doubles champion in 1975.

He’s been an active member of the USTA Southern Section since 1992, most recently serving as its president. He also has served on the boards of the USTA Tennis and Education Foundation, Southern Tennis Patrons Foundation and the Georgia Tennis Foundation. Smith began serving a second consecutive term as vice president of the USTA in January 2007. He previously served as a director at large.

“Gordon’s long-standing commitment to the sport, combined with business acumen and a keen understanding of the USTA’s organization and structure, make him the perfect person to lead the USTA,” says USTA Chairman of the Board and President Jane Brown Grimes.

Smith earned a bachelor of arts in Journalism and a law degree at the University of Georgia. Following law school, he clerked with the federal judiciary before joining the Atlanta-based international law firm of King and Spalding, where he was a Senior Partner in the 800-lawyer firm. He is a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers and has been listed in the publication The Best Lawyers in America for many years.

Posted on October 9, 2007
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