Five candidates slated for 2021 USBC Board election

ARLINGTON, Texas - The United States Bowling Congress Nominating Committee has slated five candidates for the upcoming USBC Board of Directors election, which will take place during the 2021 USBC Convention and Annual Meeting.

The 2021 USBC Convention will take place virtually from April 26-29, with the Annual Meeting legislative sessions and board elections taking place on the final day. Complete details, and a schedule for the week, will be available soon.

Delegates will vote to fill three open positions on the USBC Board of Directors. The USBC Nominating Committee, which may slate up to two candidates for each opening, set the slate of five candidates:

* Jay Daryman, York, Pa.
* Dennis Hacker, Longtown, Mo.
* Johnny Harris, Lynchburg, Va.
* Chrissy Lee, Tampa, Fla.
* Jonathan VanHees, Hope Valley, R.I.

Daryman, who has more than 40 years of experience in serving bowling at all levels, is seeking his third term on the USBC Board. He first was elected by the delegates in 2015 and has served on the Association Relations, Audit, Diversity and Inclusion, Legal and Legislative, National Policy and Nominating Committees.

He also is a director on the Pennsylvania State USBC Board, serving as chair of the Youth and IT Committees, and is the tournament director for the Pennsylvania State Pepsi Youth Bowling Championships.

Daryman is a USBC Lifetime member and was inducted into his local association hall of fame in 1999. He retired from Exelon Nuclear in 2018 after 38 years as a maintenance support specialist.

Hacker, who seeks his second term on the USBC Board, first joined the board for the 2018-2019 season. He has served on the Audit, Awards and Recognition (chair), Equipment Specifications, Finance and PWBA Hall of Fame Committees and is a member of the Bowlers to Veterans Link Board of Directors.

The Missouri native and former U.S. Navy serviceman also serves as the association manager for the Missouri State USBC and as a director for the Cape Girardeau USBC. Outside of bowling, he is the director of research for Pinnacle Research Group, an independent full-service market research firm.

Harris is a lifelong bowler and seeking his first term on the USBC Board of Directors.

His service to the sport began as the secretary-treasurer for his youth leagues, and he has been actively serving in various positions at the league, local, state and regional levels for more than four decades. He currently serves as the association manager for the Lynchburg Area USBC and Virginia State USBC.

Beyond the lanes, the recently retired Harris spent more than 39 years with WestRock Paperboard, where he was a master electrician engineer.

Lee, who is seeking her first term on the USBC Board, relocated from New Jersey to Florida in 2020 and is eager to get involved in the Sunshine State's bowling community, an endeavor that had been delayed due to COVID-19.

While living in New Jersey, she served on local and state boards and a variety of committees over more than 20 years, including five years as the president of the Monmouth County USBC. She also is a longtime delegate to the USBC Convention. Her service earned her election to the Monmouth County USBC Hall of Fame in 2020 for meritorious service.

Lee has taught pre-school for more than 25 years and has continued that role at Bright Horizons Family Solutions in Tampa.

VanHees, a Professional Bowlers Association Tour titlist, is a member of three halls of fame and has found great success as a competitor and pro shop operator. He is looking to bring that perspective to the USBC Board as a first-time board member.

His previous service to the sport includes time on the New England Bowlers Association Board of Directors and two stints on the Rhode Island USBC Board of Directors. Currently, he is the second vice-president for the RI USBC.

On the business side, he is a co-owner of a pro shop chain with six locations across two states and also spent time as a manufacturer's representative on the PBA Tour and Professional Women's Bowling Association Tour in 2018.

In addition to Daryman and Hacker seeking reelection, Karen Jost, former vice president, is completing her final term, having reached the term limit. The elections will take place April 29 during the virtual Annual Meeting.

Additional candidates for the USBC Board may run from the floor, provided they give notice of their candidacy to the committee by March 30. Anyone interested in running from the floor can find more information at BOWL.com/Convention.

Prior to casting their votes, delegates will have the opportunity to learn more about the candidates directly from them, as the traditional Meet the Candidates format is being amended for the virtual meeting.

The upcoming USBC Convention's virtual website will host bios and interviews with the candidates, and delegates will have the opportunity to watch the interviews at their leisure, leading up to the event. There also will be an opportunity for the delegates to submit questions the Nominating Committee can use during the interviews. More details will follow as the website is rolled out.

Visit BOWL.com/Convention for more information about the 2021 USBC Convention and Annual Meeting, including the proposed legislation and a chance to learn more about the board candidates.