US Squash has appointed Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who most recently served as commissioner of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), as its new CEO.
Marcoux Samaan replaces Kevin Klipstein, who stepped down last summer after over 20 years in the job, and she will be tasked with leading US Squash towards LA2028 and growing the game’s profile.
In a country that puts considerable weight upon benefactors and fundraising, making squash a viable commercial product will also be high in the in-tray, as well as putting more emphasis on the high-profile US Open, which continues to be under-reported in the media.
At the LPGA, she oversaw the largest period of growth within the association’s 75-year history, where tournament purses and player income grew by over 90%, while she also prioritised athlete well-being.
Additionally, the LPGA Foundation experienced unprecedented success, with record fundraising and participation, resulting in more girls and women than ever playing golf and learning the game.
Marcoux Samaan spent seven years as the Ford Family Director of Athletics at her alma mater Princeton University and, early in her career, held several senior roles within sports and recreation management at Chelsea Piers where she worked for nearly two decades developing and managing youth and amateur sports programming at the company’s facilities in New York City and Stamford.
“US Squash has a long history of excellence, innovation and integrated community-building,” Marcoux Samaan said.
“My focus will be on providing an ideal environment for our world-class athletes to reach their peak performance, particularly leading into the 2028 Olympic Games, growing the number of participants, programmes and fans of this great game, and unlocking significant potential investment in the sport.”
Andrew Fink, chair of the US Squash board of directors, added: “Her proven track record of leading premier sports organizations at the youth, college and professional levels, her commitment to athlete-centered development and her strategic vision make her uniquely suited to guide US Squash into its next chapter of growth.”