June 22, 2000

NASO Board Elects Officers; Christal Elected to Board
(COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.) — Julie Ilacqua (il-LA-qwa), Chicago, Ill., was elected chair of the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) at today’s semi-annual meeting of the organization’s board of directors. Ilacqua is the membership services director for the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) and has served on the NASO board of directors for three years.

Ilacqua was originally elected to the NASO board in July 1997, and served as the vice chair during her 1999-2000 term. She replaces Ed Rush, Phoenix, Ariz., the director of officials for the NBA, whose term on the board expired.

Re-elected to two year terms were veteran NCAA Division I men’s basketball official John Clougherty, Raleigh, N.C., who was elected vice chair; retired Pac-10 women’s director of officiating Carter Rankin, Hayward, Calif., secretary; and high school official and elementary school principal Gary Whelchel, Casa Grande, Ariz.

Elected to the board for a two-year term was Randy Christal, Austin, Tex. Christal is a veteran NCAA Division I football referee and baseball umpire.

Retired NFL referee Red Cashion, College Station, Tex., was re-elected treasurer of the board.

Barry Mano, Racine, Wis., serves the board as president of the association, which has nearly 19,000 members.

The remaining board members are: Ron Foxcroft, Hamilton, Ontario; Gary Gullett, Byron, Ill.; Jack Roberts, East Lansing, Mich.; and Marcy Weston, Mt. Pleasant, Mich.

NASO is a voluntary membership, not-for-profit, educational association working to improve the skills and conditions for sports officials of all levels. Membership is worldwide and includes officials in virtually every sport and at all levels from youth leagues to the professional ranks.

The organization is headquartered in Racine, Wis.