Matt Olson Named USTA Southern Executive Director & COO

USTA Southern President & CEO Randy Jackson announced today that USTA New England Executive Director/COO Matt Olson has been named USTA Southern Executive Director & COO.

Olson replaces John Callen, who is retiring after more than 33 years in the position. Olson is set to start on Feb. 16 and Callen will step down the day before.

Olson has led the New England Section since January 2015. He was named New England Tennis & Education Foundation Executive Director in January 2019. Racquet Sports Industry (RSI) magazine awarded USTA New England with the 2021 USTA Section of the Year, citing innovation and the launch of a new parks program. 

Well-known in the USTA community in the South, Olson headed USTA Atlanta for 12 years beginning in 2003. USTA Atlanta is recognized as the largest local tennis association in the country with more than 41,000 active players. He also served as USTA Southern USA Tennis Coordinator and Program Manager from 1998 to 2004 and USTA Georgia Coordinator of Community Development and Schools during the two previous years. USTA and USTA Southern honored USTA Atlanta as USTA Organization/Community Tennis Association of the Year in 2007 and 2013.

Olson holds two Bachelor of Arts degrees – one in Communications and one in Speech & Dramatic Arts – from Mercer University in Macon.

Jackson said, “We knew it would be a difficult task to find a replacement for John Callen. But we found an extraordinary leader in Matt Olson. He knows the USTA and has also extensive experience in heading up a grassroots tennis community in the South. We believe his well-rounded knowledge and focus on growing tennis on all levels made him an outstanding choice for USTA Southern.”