Far Hills, N.J. (May 19) – The United States Golf Association has appointed Jim Noel as its chief legal officer. Noel will assume immediate oversight of the USGA’s legal department.
Noel joins the USGA from ESPN, where he served as associate general counsel and as a vice president in the network’s programming and digital media departments. His work included negotiations of media rights and distribution agreements, intellectual property licensing, and new-media ventures.
He worked previously for the National Football League, first as director of legal affairs for NFL Properties, and then as assistant counsel to the Commissioner. He also was in private practice with the Seattle-based firm of Davis Wright Tremaine.
Noel holds a B.S. in journalism from the University of Oregon (1974) and a J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law (1979).
A headshot of Noel is available for download at http://photocollection.usga.org/cgi-main/viewerlogin.pl?lbjobid=16650.
About the USGA
The USGA is the national governing body of golf in the USA and Mexico. The USGA annually conducts the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, U.S. Senior Open and 10 national amateur championships. It also conducts two state team championships and helps conduct the Walker Cup Match, Curtis Cup Match and World Amateur Team Championships.
The USGA also writes the Rules of Golf, conducts equipment testing, provides expert course maintenance consultations, maintains a Handicap System® and celebrates the history of the game. Since 1983, the USGA Turfgrass and Environmental Research Program has awarded more than $31 million to more than 400 research projects for better turf and a better environment at universities across the country. The USGA also funds an ongoing “For the Good of the Game” grants program, which has allocated more than $65 million over 13 years to programs that bring the game’s values to youths from disadvantaged backgrounds and people with disabilities. For more information about the USGA, visit www.usga.org.
Contact:
Daniel Hubbard
dhubbard@usga.org
Web Address: www.usga.org
USGA Phone: (908) 234-2300 x1136
