NASO Elects Four New Board Members

Carter, Crawford, Ortega and Zaborniak Called to Serve

(RACINE, Wis.) — Four new faces will replace familiar and dedicated individuals on the 2003-04 NASO Board of Directors.

Ronnie Carter (Pleasant View, Tenn.), Danny Crawford (Naperville, Ill.), Anita Ortega (Hacienda Heights, Calif.) and Hank Zaborniak (Pickerington, Ohio), were each elected to two-year terms beginning June 23.

The four new members replace Marcy Weston (Mt. Pleasant, Mich.), Gary Gullett (Byron, Ill.), Ron Foxcroft (Hamilton, Ontario) and Jack Roberts (East Lansing, Mich.). Each has served on the NASO board for two consecutive two-year terms and is not eligible to serve another consecutive term.

Carter is the executive director of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association. He graduated with a B.S. degree from Bethel College with graduate work at the University of Tennessee. His career has been spent in secondary education as a teacher, coach, official and administrator for the past 36 years. Carter has served on the NFHS Football Rules Committee since 1978. He also served on the NFHS basketball and wrestling rules committees during his career. Carter is the immediate past president of the NFHS board of directors.

Crawford is an NBA referee. He began his professional career in the Continental Basketball Association in 1982 and was hired full-time by the NBA in 1985. Crawford began officiating high school baseball and basketball in 1978. He worked several college conferences as he climbed the officiating ladder. He graduated from Northeastern Illinois University in 1976 with a B.S. degree in physical education.

Ortega is a 19-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department and is currently the commanding officer of the Hollenbeck Patrol Division. She has a B.A. degree from UCLA and has attended Command Development School. An outstanding basketball player, Ortega has been inducted in two athletic halls of fame: the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Los Angeles Police Department Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000. She is an accomplished women’s basketball official having worked eight consecutive NCAA Division I women’s tournaments. She currently works in the PAC 10, Western Athletic Conference, Mountain West Conference and the West Coast Conference.

Zaborniak is the assistant commissioner for the Ohio High School Athletic Association. He has a B.A. degree in psychology from Ohio Northern University. He began his officiating career in 1975. Currently he works football as a back judge in the Big 10 and is a Division III men’s basketball and Division I women’s basketball official. Zaborniak is also a former World Football League (NFL Europe) official.

The NASO board consists of 11 members. A nominating committee considers candidates and makes its recommendation to the current board for election.

Founded in 1980, NASO has more than 19,000 members from all levels and all sports. The association advocates the interests of all sports officials through its educational publications, membership benefits and public relations programs.

To learn more about NASO, visit www.naso.org or call toll-free 1-800-733-6100.