USA Rugby Press Release:
• RIM CEO David Sternberg resigns; former USA Eagle and CMO Pam Kosanke assumes dual role of RIM Board Chairman and Interim CEO.
• USA Rugby appoints two new RIM Board members in Mark Lambourne and Jon Bobbett.
• Assigned task-force to conduct strategic review of RIM operations.
LAFAYETTE, CO – Rugby International Marketing (RIM) today announced the appointment of former USA Rugby Eagle and CMO, Pam Kosanke, as both Chairman of the Board of RIM and Interim CEO. Kosanke will assume the latter role effective March 23, following the resignation of current CEO David Sternberg. USA Rugby also elected two new representatives to the RIM Board in Mark Lambourne and Jon Bobbett, replacing Pete Seccia and former Chairman, Chad Keck.
As RIM Board Chairman and Interim CEO, Pam Kosanke will immediately assume day-to-day operational duties of the company, including managing the commercial and sponsorship obligations of RIM through to the Board of Directors review in June.
“These changes provide a fresh opportunity for RIM to plan and deliver the next chapter of growth for rugby in the United States in lock step with USA Rugby,” said Kosanke. “RIM will continue to attract world class teams to play in the US, with the Wales vs South Africa fixture in Washington D.C. this June. Additionally, we are committed to delivering a best-in-class Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament in San Francisco this Summer.”
Current USA Rugby CEO Dan Payne will discontinue his temporary role as RIM Chairman to focus on USA Rugby operations and support of the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018.
New RIM leadership has additionally been tasked with conducting a strategic review of RIM, evaluating its operations and activity. The appraisal will be completed in conjunction with a task-force recently formed by USA Rugby to review the RIM commercial objectives and strategy. The task-force will present its analysis to the USA Rugby Board by June.
Kosanke concluded, “The RIM Board thanks David Sternberg for his hard work and wishes him the best in future endeavors. We now look forward to an exciting few months of international rugby on our home turf.”
About Rugby International Marketing (RIM)
Established in 2015, Rugby International Marketing (RIM) is the for-profit commercial arm of USA Rugby, tasked with monetizing the federation’s commercial rights and developing new revenue streams to fund the growth of the game in America. RIM is majority-owned by USA Rugby and structured to attract inward investment from strategic partners.
Founded in 1975, USA Rugby is the national governing body for the sport of rugby in America, and a Full Sport Member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and World Rugby. Currently headquartered in Lafayette, Colorado, USA Rugby is charged with developing the game on all levels and has over 115,000 active members. USA Rugby oversees four national teams, multiple collegiate and high school All-American sides, and an emerging Olympic development pathway for elite athletes. USA Rugby is governed by a nine-member Board of Directors, a Congress representing the membership and a professional staff headed by a CEO.
