Celebrating NASO’s 25th Anniversary, sports officiating leaders from all levels of sports gathered to discuss leadership and officiating. The opening session, Saturday night (7:00 p.m.) welcomed attendees and keynote speaker Ed Rush, retired NBA director of officiating, set the “working tone” for this important three-day event.

Featured speakers who participated in the NASO Summit were:

• Jerry Markbreit, retired NFL referee

• Barry Mano, NASO president and Referee Magazine publisher

• Bob Delaney, NBA official and 2003 NASO Gold Whistle Award honoree

• Joe Crawford, NBA referee

• Mike Pereira, NFL director of officiating

• Ed T. Rush, NBA director of officiating

• Bill Carollo, NFLRA executive director and Super Bowl XXXVII referee

• Marcy Weston, NCAA women’s basketball officials coordinator

• Bob Kanaby, executive director of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)

• Jerry Seeman, former NFL director of officiating NASO chair

• Esse Baharmast, United States Soccer Federation (USSF) director of advanced and international referee development

• Jerry McGee, president of Wingate University and an Atlantic Coast Conference football official

• Larry Boucher, assistant commissioner of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association

• Randy Christal, 2003 BCS Championship Game referee

• Bill Topp, Referee Magazine and NASO vice president of publishing and management services

• Marc Ratner, Nevada Boxing Commission executive director and NASO board member

• Alan Goldberger, sports law attorney and official

• Rich Garcia, Major League Baseball umpire supervisor; four-time World Series umpire

• Jon Bible, Big 12 football referee

• Dale Kelley, coordinator of NCAA men’s basketball officials for five conferences

• Tim Millis, Big 12 supervisor of football officials

• Mary Struckhoff, NFHS assistant executive director

• Dave Parry, Big 10 supervisor of football officials

• Dave Yeast, NCAA national coordinator of baseball umpires

• Anita Ortega, NCAA women’s basketball referee

• George Thompson, founder and president of the Verbal Judo Institute