USBC CONVENTION PART 1: No U.S. Women’s Open in 2011: SMART Program gets management overhaul, Bohn Finishes 7th in Voting for 4 USBC Directors

St. Louisan Steve Moehrle named to SMART team 

by Scott Simon

The 2010 USBC national convention proved it could make some news that will wake up bowlers but also decision were made that mirror what major corporations do when handling scholarship money.

The big news that is buzzing in El Paso at the 2010 U.S. Women’s Open  is the 2011 tournament has been cancelled. Money is a reason but also because there is little sponsorship interest from non-bowling retailers. It’s become a regular decision in recent years; there were no U.S. Women’s Opens in 1997, 2002, and from 2004-2006.

Tammy Boomershine is the defending champion and the contenders are Kelly Kulick, Liz Johnson and Carolyn Dorin-Ballard. Kulick averaged 230 for the first 8 games of qualifying.

Only one St. Louisan is in the field. Gwen DeBok of Fenton is 80th after round one. The only other bowler from Missouri, Samantha Swanson of Warrensburg, is in 55th place.

OFF THE LANES: (Scholarship Management and Accounting Reports for Tenpins) doesn’t just have a new board, it’s now an separate corporation.

Bowling Hood has learned one of the new SMART board members is Dr. Steve Moehrle, Associate  Professor of Accounting at the University of Missouri-St. Louis who’s also an active and skilled bowler. Outgoing USBC President and St. Louis native Jeff Boje’ told www.bowl.com, “This corporation was created to have a total focus on the care of SMART funds and promote youth bowling scholarships," USBC President Jeff Boje‚ said. "This board will remain consistent with people eminently qualified to manage those funds."

Dr. Moehrle tells Bowling Hood the other two members of the management board are Wally Hall and Sandy Hansell. If you don’t know Hall, he owns a pair of centers in Maryland but is the former CEO of Fair Lanes, Inc., past president of the BPAA and is one of the foremost promoters of marketing – a value where bowling trails other sports and recreation activities. Hansell has been the the industry’s leading real estate broker for 33 years, heading Sandy Hansell and Associates. He’s also a licensed attorney.

Let’s see – Moehrle’s a Certified Public Accountant who’s also a university professor, Hansell’s an attorney and Hall was a corporation CEO. These are three Really Smart Guys – an attribute the bowling industry has needed for years to manage finance and economics.

The three already have met and named Hall the board’s chairman. They also are in the process of writing a “Recipient Bill of Rights” and a “Provider Bill of Rights.”

They’re on the “right” path. A solid mission statement is a must. Can anyone recite the USBC mission statement?

Bowling Hood hopes the committee and USBC as a while will rely on the experience and expertise of Tom Bluth. The son of Hall of Fame bowler Ray Bluth is a USBC board member, an attorney and Certified Public Accountant in Ft. Lauderdale, and works for Ellis Diversified, Inc. as its Chief Financial Officer and general counsel.

BOARD OF DIRECTOR’S VOTE: Two incumbents and two new directors were elected to the USBC board. Carolyn Dorin-Ballard and Michael Italia of Warrington Pennsylvania were reelected. The approximately 1,000 delegate also elected Mark Martin, association manager for Metro Detroit USBC and bowling columnist for the Oakland Press along with Deanna Rose of Fairport, N.Y. are the board’s newcomers.

St. Louis USBC Association Manager Dale Bohn received 205 votes and finished seventh out of the nine people on the ballot.

This was the last convention for outgoing USBC President Jeff Boje’ who’s term officially ends August 1. He will be replaced by USBC Vice President Darlene Baker of Mahomet, Illinois. A fine bowler in her own right, her credentials as a bowling leader are more impressive.

Baker has been on the Illinois USBC Women's Bowling Association Board of Directors since 1993 and served as third vice president for nearly six years. She has been a director on the Clinton (Ill.) USBC for two years, and is serving her first year as third vice president of the Champaign Area USBC. She also has served on the Illinois State USBC Youth Board since 1994, with eight years as second vice president. She was Illinois Bowling Council secretary-treasurer for eight years and spent 20 years on the Clinton (Ill.) WBA Board, including three years as president. She is a member of the Clinton WBA Hall of Fame and Illinois WBA Hall of Fame, both for meritorious service.

Part Two of the USBC Convention recap coming out soon will explain some of the new rules on and off the lanes.