June 29 Board & All-Member Meeting Recaps: Board Advances Division-Support Measures, Listens to Member In-Person Feedback

MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Meeting in conjunction with Summer Nationals at the Baird Center, the USA Fencing Board of Directors advanced several sport-development initiatives designed to strengthen the organization and enhance the fencing experience for athletes, coaches, officials and fans.

Below is a high-level recap; draft minutes will be posted as soon as they are available.

Prior to the Board Meeting, the organization hosted its Annual General Membership Meeting. Details from that can be found at the end of this recap.

CEO Phil Andrews opened with a progress report that included:

• A congratulations to our FIE Pan Am Zonal team, winning 10 of 12 Gold medals available, including a rare sweep of the podium in Men’s Saber.
• NCAA Division I endorsement of separate women’s championships in sabre and epee — the first new women’s NCAA titles since 1989 — and positive momentum toward adding more collegiate programs.
• Execution of new commercial partnerships with Ordr, Spike Lab and Snowday.
• A first‑ever national television contract under negotiation.
• Record membership and club totals.
• Release of the 2025‑26 national tournament calendar, including modest entry caps (only for events exceeding 315 athletes) to keep NACs operationally sound.
• An appeal for Board alignment around the strategic plan and role of the Board of Directors as defined in the USA Fencing bylaws to ensure collective focus on USA Fencing’s mission.

Director of Finance Tabitha Chamberlin followed with a brief status report on year‑to‑date results and Summer Nationals performance and urged the Board to do all it could to reduce legal fees.

The Board unanimously adopted four consent items :

• Minutes of the June 7, 2025 meetings.
• Inactive & Non‑Functional Division Policy — recommended by the Division Resource Group to protect members in areas where a local division ceases to operate.
• Rule T.56.11 Amendment — technical update proposed by the Referees’ Commission and effective Aug. 1, 2025.
• Committee Appointment — Michael Chapman joins the Grievance & Disciplinary Committee to fill a mid‑term vacancy.

Governance Task Force — Board‑Composition Proposal: Did Not Pass

The package would have re-balanced the Board to 12 directors (4 Athlete, 4 member-elected At-Large, 4 Board-appointed At-Large), reduced Board presence on the Nominating Committee, and realigned election cycles.

President-to-Chair Transition Motion: Failed — The Board declined to issue any further statement regarding the removal of a former Chair that occurred five years ago.

Conflict-of-Interest Motion:Failed — A proposal to bar individuals with a “moderate” conflict (as classified by the Ethics Committee) from leadership roles did not gain sufficient support. The Ethics Committee provided a SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) to better assist membership in understanding the Ethics process of the organization, which can be found here.

Next Meeting: Noon ET on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025 (on Zoom). The meeting is open to USA Fencing registered members, and preregistration is required.

USA Fencing remains committed to transparent governance, athlete voice and continuous improvement. Thank you to the athletes, families, coaches, officials, volunteers and partners who make our community thrive.

Before the Board convened, USA Fencing held its statutorily required Annual General Membership Meeting. Highlights from that open forum included:

• State of the Association: Multiple speakers applauded the “strength and professionalism” of the national staff, noting record membership and new commercial partnerships as signs of progress.
• Leadership Academy: Members proposed that future Committee Chairs be required to complete the Leadership Academy program. Members also asked for a refreshed curriculum and additional modules on nonprofit management and sport-governance best practices.
• Expanded Education & Training: Members called for more resources on running local tournaments — essentially a “Leadership Academy for event organizers” — as well as deeper governance training for Academy alumni.
• Grassroots Growth & Retention: Members held an open discussion on how to expand sanctioned local events, why many fencers step away after high-school or collegiate careers, and what programming might entice them back.
• LA 2028 Volunteer Outlook: With the Los Angeles Olympic & Paralympic Games on the horizon, California-based members were encouraged to watch for upcoming volunteer opportunities.
• Current Litigation Concerns: Members voiced views on the ongoing legal dispute between certain Board members, urging transparency and swift resolution.