USTA Eastern Names Jill Fonte as New Executive Director

May 23, 2012 - PRLog -- USTA Eastern announced today the appointment of Jill Fonte as the section’s new Executive Director. Fonte, who begins June 4, will lead the section as it places a new emphasis on growing tennis participation among players of all ages and abilities.

“I am very excited to lead Eastern through this transition,” said Fonte, of New Hope, PA. “The new charge from the Board of Directors to increase tennis participation is a tremendous opportunity, and will open up new and creative ways for the section’s outstanding staff and volunteers to grow the game.”

For the past 12 years, Fonte has worked as an executive coach, consultant and speaker, providing a wide range of leadership training to corporations: including selling and customer service, strategic planning, and executive presence. Earlier in her career, Jill served as executive director of the United States Racquet Stringers Association (USRSA), a trade organization that provides education and certification to racquet technicians across the country. During her 18 years at the USRSA, she introduced a range of new training materials and programs and oversaw the organization’s growth to more than 7,000 members.

Fonte has also been a USTA volunteer for several years, serving as a member and President of the USTA Middle States Board of Directors, as chair of USTA’s Tennis Innovation Committee, and as a member of the USTA’s National Strategic Planning and Budget & Finance Committees.  

Jeff Williams, President of USTA Eastern, said he is excited that Jill will be joining the section and that her background as a tennis executive and an entrepreneur will help the section as it works to recruit new players.

“Jill has outstanding experience as a leader and teacher, and understands how to develop the partnerships and programs we need to grow participation,” said Williams. “We are very excited to have her on board and look forward to working with her.”

Jill holds a Bachelor of Science degree in nutrition from Simmons College in Boston and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of California at Irvine.

The USTA Eastern Section, based in White Plains, New York, is a not-for-profit community service organization whose mission is to promote and develop the growth of tennis.  The section encompasses all of New York State, Northern New Jersey and Greenwich, Connecticut.  It is one of 17 geographic sections of the United States Tennis Association, the governing body of tennis in the United States, and supports more than 48,000 members.  The section also establishes and maintains rules of fair play, high standards of sportsmanship and represents, in its jurisdiction, the programs and policies of the USTA.  More information about the USTA Eastern section is available by visiting: www.eastern.usta.com.