Board Holds Elections, Names Officers

Since its founding in 1980, NASO has known no president other than Barry Mano. His stepping down from that role effective July 1 and the NASO board of directors’ selection of Bill Topp as his replacement, brings about a period of transition for the largest organization dedicated to serving sports officials.

Amid that organizational leadership change, the NASO board chose at its April meeting to execute a bylaw provision in the interest of keeping knowledgeable and seasoned board members on hand during the transition.

Typically, a board member may serve two consecutive twoyear terms, but must then wait one year before being considered again for board election. The board enacted a one-time waiver of the waiting period — an option in the NASO bylaws that allows the president to waive the waiting period for a board member one time — to re-elect Dana Pappas, Sandra Serafini and Paul LaRosa to an additional two-year term.

All three were finishing their second consecutive two-year term on the board, which would otherwise trigger that one-year waiting period before being eligible for election.

Pappas is the NFHS director of officiating services and most recent chair of the NASO board. She previously worked as commissioner of officials for the New Mexico Activities Association.

Serafini is a retired FIFA and collegiate soccer referee who formerly served as the director of strategic initiatives and innovation for PRO. She is currently a consultant for PRO. LaRosa recently retired as president of the Louisiana High School Officials Association. He was a high school football official for more than 40 years.

In other action, the board re-elected Dean Blandino, Lisa Jones and Mark Uyl to their second two-year term.

Blandino is the NCAA national coordinator of instant replay, Fox Sports officiating analyst and vice president of officiating for the XFL. He previously served as the NFL’s vice president of officiating.

Jones has been a women’s Division I college basketball referee for more than 20 years, working 11 Final Four assignments. She’s a former WNBA official and retired deputy chief of the Phoenix Fire Department and retired director of Homeland Security and emergency management at the Phoenix office.

Uyl is the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) executive director. He previously worked as the MHSAA assistant director responsible for officiating programs. He’s a former NCAA Division I baseball umpire.

“I’m excited that this board is staying together in the interest of continuity and helping grow this association,” Topp said.

“With this group of experienced board members, NASO is in a great position to continue advocating on behalf of sports officials, educating to improve sports officiating and protecting officials through industryleading legal and insurance benefits and services.”

In addition to the election of board members to new terms, the board held elections for officer positions. The new officers will assume their positions at the conclusion of the 2023 Sports Officiating Summit on Aug. 1.

Robert Smith Jr. was elected chair and Lisa Jones was elected vice chair.

Smith, executive director of the University of Northern Iowa’s Center for Urban Education, is in his 20th year as an NCAA Big Ten Conference football official. He officiated 12 NCAA bowl games and the 2011 and 2014 BCS National Championship games. He has been a high school football and high school girls’ and boys’ basketball official for 30 years.

Additionally, Bill Carollo was re-elected treasurer. Ron Foxcroft was re-elected special advisor. Both Carollo and Foxcroft are non-voting members of the board.

Carollo is the coordinator of football officials for the Collegiate Officiating Consortium, which includes the Big Ten, MidAmerican and Missouri Valley football conferences. Prior to that he served various management roles at IBM and Manpower for

25 years. He was an NFL official for 20 years, working two Super Bowls.

Foxcroft is founder and CEO of Fox 40 International. He is also owner and CEO of one of North America’s largest trucking logistics companies. He had a 25-year career as a NCAA Division I and International FIBA basketball official. He officiated in the NCAA tournament and the 1976 Olympic gold medal game.

Topp was re-elected secretary, a role he has held since 2014. Prior to that, he was a staff liaison to the board since 2005. He will serve in a dual role as president and secretary until the future of the secretary position is determined by the board.

Editor: Julie Sternberg

Sports Editor: Brent Killackey

Graphic Designer: Dustin Brown

Contributors: Don Collins, George Demetriou, Alan Goldberger, Joe Jarosz, Patrick Rosenow, Tim Sloan, Jeffrey Stern, Brad Tittrington, Scott Tittrington, Bill Topp

NASO BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Robert Smith, Waterloo, Iowa, Chair

Lisa Jones, Phoenix, Vice Chair

Bill Topp, Racine, Wis., President, Secretary

*Bill Carollo, Shorewood, Wis., Treasurer

*Ron Foxcroft, Burlington, Ontario, Special Adviser

Dean Blandino, Santa Monica, Calif.

Paul LaRosa, Metairie, La.

Dana Pappas, Lebanon, Ind.

Pati Rolf, Pewaukee, Wis.

Sandra Serafini, Yachats, Ore.

Ron Torbert, Hanover, Md.

Mark Uyl, DeWitt, Mich.

Rob Wigod, Los Alamitos, Calif.

*Non-voting members

NASO MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of NASO is to:

• Serve members by providing benefits and services.

• Improve officiating performance through educational programs.

• Advocate opportunities for officials and engage in programs to recruit and retain officials.

• Create alliances with organizations that benefit from healthy officiating programs.

• Enhance the image of officials.

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