2025-26 USTA Southern Board of Directors
USTA Southern Board of Directors
USTA Southern was founded in 1886 and is focused on the development and promotion of tennis within the nine states comprising the USTA Southern Section – Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. It is the largest of 17 sectional associations that make up the United States Tennis Association (USTA), the national governing body of tennis in the United States.
The management of USTA Southern is vested in its Board of Directors: the President & CEO, the Executive Vice President, three Vice Presidents, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Section Delegate to the USTA and three Directors at Large. All members of the Board of Directors must live within the geographical boundaries of USTA Southern and be active members of the USTA.
The USTA Southern Nominating Committee is responsible for interviewing candidates and compiling the slate for the USTA Southern Board of Directors as well as the succeeding Nominating Committee.
The USTA Southern Board selects new committee members during the fall of even-numbered years for two-year terms starting in January of the following odd-numbered year.
Board of Directors
Pictured above, left column, top: President & CEO Ted Reese, Cary, N.C.; left column, bottom: Executive Vice President Drew Meyers, Lafayette, La. Top row from left: USTA Delegate Brett Schwartz, Mandeville, La.; Vice President John Cox, Cleveland, Miss.; Vice President Ashley Massengale, Atlanta. Middle row from left: Vice President Jenifer Tucker, Fayetteville, Ark.; Treasurer John Herring, Lexington, Ky.; Secretary Carol Alan, Sumter, S.C. Bottom row from left: Director at Large Sara Barnett, Jackson, Tenn.; Director at Large Ernie James, Florence, S.C.; Director at Large Eric Schmook; Dunwoody, Ga.
2026 USTA Southern Annual Meeting and Executive Council Meeting postponed and rescheduled
The USTA Southern Annual Meeting and Executive Council Meeting originally scheduled for January 23 and 24, 2026, were postponed due to impending severe weather conditions.
Pursuant to Article VI, Section 3 and Article IX, Section 4 of the USTA Southern Bylaws, please accept this communication as official notice of the rescheduled Annual Meeting of the Membership, as well as notice of a meeting of the Executive Council to be held immediately thereafter.
Rescheduled Annual Meeting of the Membership: The Annual Meeting will be held on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, and will be conducted virtually via Google Meet. The meeting link will be distributed in advance.
In accordance with the USTA Southern Bylaws, including Article VI, Section 4 and Article IV, a quorum for the Annual Meeting consists of the presence, in person or by proxy, of representatives of a majority of the total voting strength of the State Associations. Voting by the State Associations is exercised through their respective State Presidents or duly appointed proxies.
Rescheduled Executive Council Meeting: On February 26, 2026, at 8:00 PM Eastern Time, immediately following the Annual Meeting, a meeting of the Executive Council will be held on Google Meet with the same virtual link.
Click here for the announcement from the USTA Southern Board of Directors Secretary Carol Alan.
Executive Council
The Executive Council consists of the Board of Directors, nine State Delegates, Past USTA Southern Presidents and Presidential Appointees.
State Association Presidents
Top row from left: Ben Bradshaw, Past President Joel Mulkin (pictured), Alabama; Kami Tucker, Arkansas; Michelle Fields, Georgia. Middle row from left: Ellen Miller, Past President RC Scheinler (pictured), Kentucky; Kathryn Ruckstuhl, Louisiana; David Kimball, Mississippi. Bottom row from left: President Debbie Southern, Past President Kim Coston (pictured), North Carolina; President Mary Margaret Hyatt, Past President Linda Paige (pictured), South Carolina; Jack Hu, Past President Carol Winn (pictured), Tennessee.
Past Presidents
Steve Duffel, Herman Enochs, Lucy Garvin, Jeff Gray, Paula Hale, Marshall Happer, Randy Jackson, Rex Maynard, Mike McNulty, Judi Miller, Brett Schwartz, Gordon Smith, Bud Spencer, Randy Stephens, Bonnie Vandegrift, Don Varga and Derek White.
Strategic Plan
In 2024, the USTA Southern Board of Directors released its Strategic Plan.
The plan identified four main areas:
- Community & Delivery
- Diverse Players & Programming
- Infrastructure & Accessibility
- Organizational Excellence & Collaboration
Click here to download the two-page Strategic Plan flyer.
Mission Statement
The USTA Southern mission statement is: Growing tennis to inspire healthier people and communities everywhere.
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