USA Swimming names Legends president Kevin Ring as new CEO after year-long search

Just over a month after Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte publicly took shots at USA Swimming, and greater than a 12 months after Tim Hinchey resigned, the group lastly has a brand new president and CEO in place for the foreseeable future.

That’s Kevin Ring, who’s at present the president of golf for Legends, a premium reside occasions firm that gives data-driven options for manufacturers and venues throughout sports activities and leisure. Before his three-year run at Legends, Ring spent near a decade at PGA of America, serving as Chief Revenue Officer and, previous to that, Chief Marketing Officer. Earlier in his profession, he was the vp of IMG Consulting and managing director for IMG’s Golf Consulting apply.

Advertisement

While his current historical past is tied to the golf business, Ring has expertise working with shoppers related to MLB, the U.S. Tennis Association and Formula 1. He began at IMG as a digital undertaking supervisor, serving to create digital sponsorship technique for 2002 World Cup Soccer platforms.

Ring acknowledged in his USA Swimming CEO announcement video Wednesday that swimming is new to him, however he emphasised the sense of urgency he will likely be main with, given the 2028 LA Olympics are quick approaching.

“While I may be new to swimming, over the course of my career, I’ve had the opportunity to work in global sports and membership-driven organizations,” Ring said in the video. “I’ve seen firsthand how powerful strong community can be when it comes together behind a shared vision. That’s exactly what I want to bring to USA Swimming: clear direction, strong support and meaningful opportunities for everyone involved in our sport.”

Ring added: “We don’t have the luxury of time. The LA28 Olympic Games are less than three years away, and the spotlight on our sport has never been brighter. We must move with urgency, with unity and with ambition. It’s both a challenge and an incredible opportunity to elevate swimming in the United States for our national team athletes, age group swimmers, coaches and clubs for the road ahead. We need to invest in programs that make swimming more accessible, inclusive and sustainable for the future.”

That funding is what Phelps called for in detail last month.

Lochte and Phelps — six-time and 23-time Olympic gold medalists, respectively — both shared an Instagram submit throughout USA Swimming’s gradual begin to the 2025 World Championships. The meme they circulated advised USA Swimming was lifeless.

Advertisement

Later that month, after USA Swimming rallied to pile up essentially the most gold medals and complete medals within the occasion, Phelps used his personal Instagram post to elaborate on his frustration with the organization.

Phelps clarified that his points lie with USA Swimming, the group, not with the athletes that symbolize it. He identified that USA Swimming gained solely 44% of the medals it competed for within the 2024 Paris Olympics, which, in keeping with Phelps, is the bottom such proportion the U.S. has posted within the sport in the course of the Games since 1988.

Phelps particularly focused these on the prime of USA Swimming within the Aug. 13 social media submit, citing “poor operational controls and weak leadership” as “the cornerstone of the sport’s problems.” Phelps, who volunteered himself to assist discover a resolution, known as out USA Swimming for not offering sufficient assist to its athletes, who Phelps famous have been declining in numbers.

Advertisement

Ring will now be below the microscope following Hinchey’s resignation, in addition to the February resignation of Chrissi Rawak, the previous University of Delaware AD who briefly served as USA Swimming’s CEO earlier than she needed to step down after not disclosing a SafeSport report in the course of the group’s vetting course of.

In between, USA Swimming has had two interim CEOs, Shana Ferguson — who took a job at LA28 in March — after which Bob Vincent.

Starting on Sept. 17, Ring will likely be in cost. He’ll be tasked with rising membership from a grassroots stage on up and driving income progress for a sport that will likely be on full show within the 2028 LA Olympics.