Bill Goren Named New USA Rugby Chief Executive Officer
New executive comes from Major League Rugby
Posted On: February 20, 2024 By :
Matt Traub Bill Goren has been named the next chief executive officer of USA Rugby and will start his new position on March 18, the national governing body’s board of directors have announced.
Goren most recently served as deputy commissioner in Major League Rugby. He has experience with Major League Baseball, the NBA and Major League Lacrosse before landing with Major League Rugby in 2020.
“After multiple rounds of interviews with a selected group of applicants, Bill stood out for a number of key qualities; his history of building organizational trust among constituents, his ability to articulate how he builds consensus and community, his collaborative leadership style, communication skills and knowledge of rugby in the overall American sports landscape,” said Tom Cusack, USA Rugby board chair. “We are very excited to have Bill leading our organization.”
Current Chief Executive Officer Ross Young will lead a transitional period as Goren shifts over from his duties with Major League Rugby. Young will move his focus to the development stages of the Men’s and Women’s Rugby World Cups which the United States will host in 2031 and 2033, respectively.
“The Olympics and upcoming Rugby World Cups in the United States hold immense potential, offering a prime opportunity to bring rugby to the forefront of American sports culture,” Goren said. “The legacy impact these events offer on the future of our sport is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that we are ready to harness. With numerous passionate organizations, groups, and individuals dedicated to success, our goal is to unite this fervor and align stakeholders towards our shared objectives. Through coordinated efforts and collaboration, I am confident that we can turn our aspirations for rugby growth into reality.”
Goren and Cusack will attend the HSBC SVNS in Los Angeles in March for an opportunity to connect with USA Rugby leadership and stakeholders while supporting the USA Eagles Sevens Teams and the youth rugby tournament at Dignity Health Sports Park, which is where rugby is slated to be held at the 2028 Olympic Summer Games in Los Angeles.
“Bill has been instrumental in laying the foundation for Major League Rugby and we’re grateful for his contributions to our growth and success,” said Nic Benson, chief executive officer of Major League Rugby. “We look forward to all that he will accomplish in the next step of his journey as the CEO of USA Rugby and we’re excited to continue collaborating with him on a variety of fronts to continue to grow the game in advance of Rugby World Cup 2031.”
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