Lasusa Elected VP at World Squash Annual General Meeting in Cairo

American Peter Lasusa has been elected as World Squash Federation (WSF) Vice President at the WSF Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in the Egyptian capital Cairo. He is the first American to be elected to a World Squash board position and will start his four year term effective immediately.

Upon his election, Lasusa commented: “I would like to congratulate my predecessor Gar Holohan who did so much work for the last two years, and now I look forward to applying my broad experience in many aspects of our sport to help WSF achieve its vision. I am genuinely excited!”

Holohan had completed a two-year term, in which he involved himself fully across all facets of WSF business, with a special interest in governance and branding. Vice President Sarah Fitz-Gerald, the five-time World Champion from Australia, was returned unopposed for a second term for the other Vice President position that was being contested by rotation. The President and other two Vice President terms end in 2020.

Peter Lasusa

Lasusa served as the Chairman of US Squash from July 2009 until September 2013 and prior to that served on the Board of Directors from 2004 – 2009. While leading the Board, and continuing after completion of his term, Lasusa has been the United States delegate to the WSF Annual General Meetings including meetings in Chennai, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Stockholm, Manchester, Philadelphia, Christchurch, Rotterdam, Nice, Buenos Ares and Marseille.

In the summer of 2015 he was elected the Vice-President, North American Representative, to the Pan American Squash Federation during the Pan American Games in Toronto. Early in his squash leadership career Peter served on the Nominating and Governance Committee of US Squash from 2007 through June 2009 and Chaired the Governance Review Task Force during 2007 and the 2008 Hall of Fame Dinner and has been awarded the President’s Cup for exemplary service to the game. Peter is an avid singles and doubles player and is currently a member of The University Club and Union Club in New York, and Club Atwater in Montreal. He grew up playing squash at the Englewood Field Club in New Jersey.

Professionally Lasusa is the President of Management Leadership Resources, Inc, providing business development advisory services to entrepreneurs, early stage venture capital, and middle market private equity buyouts. He began his career as a corporate lawyer in New York. Lasusa currently resides in New York, New York with his wife, Marcia McLean.

The Federation AGM, with 45 nations represented and superbly hosted by the Egyptian Squash Federation, was presided over by President Fontaine, and also addressed formal business beyond the election. This included amendments to the Articles of Association (reinforcing safe sport policy globally); adopting updated World Squash Anti-Doping Rules; reducing the general warm-up period before the start of matches from five minutes to four minutes; Forward Plan and accounts.

WSF Conference Update

The preceding day had seen the important wide-ranging WSF Conference where delegates heard about and discussed such topics as the squash bid for a place on the Paris 2024 Olympic Games Programme, and an updated strategic outline – both in partnership with the Professional Squash Association (PSA).

Other topics included the review into the delegate voting formula at AGMs; updates on general areas of activity such as World Squash Officiating, Coach Education and Championships, and a presentation by US Squash President and CEO on the opportunities technology provides the sport globally, and the use of Club Locker by WSF as the Official Database (SPIN) Management Provider and World Championship Event Software Provider. With the AGM being held in Egypt, the opportunity was also taken to include a presentation to give delegates an insight into the Egyptian pathway to great international squash success.

Closing the meeting, Fontaine said: “Squash is united to move forward to see the sport flourish, and achieve an Olympic Games place in Paris in 2024. I devote myself to both these objectives.”