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Dec-10-2010
Grilk to Become New B.A.A. Executive Director
by David Monti
(c) Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved
The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.), which organizes the Boston Marathon and other running events, announced today that they will be making a significant change in their management structure.
Calling the move an "expansion in leadership," the B.A.A.'s executive director, Guy Morse, 59, will take on a new title of senior director of external affairs, a new position. Morse has held the executive director position since 2000, and during that time the number of entrants at the Boston Marathon has grown sharply from 17,813 to 26,776. Morse also helped to launch the World Marathon Majors, the international alliance between the marathons in Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, and New York, and secured long-term corporate sponsorship agreements from John Hancock and adidas for the Boston Marathon.
Replacing Morse, who joined the B.A.A. in 1985, as executive director will be Thomas Grilk, the president of the B.A.A.'s board of governors since 2003. Grilk, 63, will resign that post to take over as executive director. The changes will be effective on Jan. 1, 2010.
"This represents the perfect time for me to transition into a new role for the B.A.A.," said Morse through a media release. "After having rebounded from health-related issues a couple of years ago, I realize my enthusiasm and belief in the B.A.A.'s mission is as strong as ever. I'm looking forward to creating even stronger community, industry and institutional relationships for the Association where they are needed for the purpose of furthering the B.A.A.'s positive impact and expanded reach."
The expansion in leadership "enables the B.A.A. to retain Morse's experience and relationships while transferring the responsibility of the Association's daily management to Grilk," said the organization's media liaison Jack Fleming.
Grilk, a longtime corporate attorney, has been a member of the B.A.A. since 1987.
"The B.A.A. is a vibrant, engaged and committed organization which is active in the community and strives to make lives healthier and better through running, charitable and philanthropic endeavors," Grilk said in a statement. "We take very seriously our responsibility to uphold the Boston Marathon as a source of local pride, while also remembering that we are involved with a recreational activity which should be fun and entertaining for participants and spectators alike. I look forward to the B.A.A.'s growth and to creating additional opportunities open to anyone who might wish to participate in a B.A.A. road race, event or program."
The Boston Athletic Association is a not-for-profit organization with an operating budget of $9 million. In addition to the Boston Marathon, the B.A.A. produces the B.A.A. Invitational Mile, B.A.A. 5-K (4329 finishers), B.A.A. Half-Marathon (4498 finishers), and the Boston Mayor's Cup Cross Country.
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