AAU announces First Vice President

Lake Buena Vista, FL—The Amateur Athletic Union is pleased to announce the new First Vice President of the Union, Rusty Buchanan.

Buchanan brings a plethora of experience to the AAU leadership, having been involved in many facets of the AAU for over 20 years.

“Congratulations to Rusty for being elected to the First Vice President position. He’ll be a great addition to the current executive staff,” said AAU President Henry Forrest. “He brings a wealth of knowledge to the officer’s team and I look forward to working with him.”

Buchanan first became involved in the AAU in 1975 as an athlete and has later served in many roles, on both sport and legislative committees. He’s the executive director of one of the first ever sports commissions in Florida—Florida’s Space Coast in Cocoa Beach, Fl.

“I am honored that fellow members of the union would have me for such an important position as this,” said Buchanan. “The AAU has always held a very special place in my heart, from my first involvement as an athlete until today. I am excited about the opportunity to be involved in the leadership and to help create a vision that will move AAU into the future.”

With the passing of Louis Stout, former First Vice President Henry Forrest moved into the role as AAU President, leaving a vacancy in the first and second vice president positions. Buchanan will serve as First Vice President for the remainder of the term until 2014.

About the AAU

The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is one of the largest, non-profit, volunteer, sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.  The AAU was founded in 1888 to establish standards and uniformity in amateur sport. During its early years, the AAU served as a leader in international sports representing the U.S. in the international sports federations. The AAU worked closely with the Olympic movement to prepare athletes for the Olympic games. After the Amateur Sports Act of 1978, the AAU has focused its efforts into providing sports programs for all participants of all ages beginning at the grass roots level. The philosophy of "Sports for All, Forever," is shared by over 500,000 participants and over 50,000 volunteers. The AAU is divided into 56 distinct Districts. These Districts annually sanction more than 34 sports programs, 250 national championships, and over 30,000 age division events.