Davie Jane Gilmour, Ph.D., concludes tenure after five years as Chairman; Hugh E. Tanner takes over as new Little League Chairman. Steven P. Johnson appointed as Vice Chairman. Dr. Andrews departs Board.
Following a memorable five-year tenure, Davie Jane Gilmour, Ph.D., has officially concluded her time as the Chairman of the Little League® International Board of Directors at their annual meeting on November 10.
The President of the Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport, Pa., Dr. Gilmour joined the Little League International Board of Directors in 2006, and in 2011 was elected as Chairman, becoming the first female to serve in that role in Little League’s 79-year history. Although her time serving as Chair has concluded, Dr. Gilmour will remain a member on the Little League International Board of Directors.
“I have a genuine respect for the role and responsibility of Chairman, and I’m proud to be associated with an organization that plays such a relevant role in the lives of so many children,” said Dr. Gilmour. “I’ve seen many parallels between the roles of Chairman and college president. In both instances, I have been afforded opportunities to share in the personal growth of young people, and play a role in their development as they take those fateful first steps into the rest of their lives. It’s been a great honor to serve this fine organization as its Board Chairman.”
Some of Little League’s notable achievements during Dr. Gilmour’s tenure include the establishment of the Little League Grow the Game Grant program, which is focused on growing the game of baseball and softball, assisting local leagues looking to establish and develop new opportunities in their communities, and to support those leagues impacted by nature disasters; the expansion of the Little League program in Australia and throughout Europe; the broadening of the television and Internet coverage for the Little League International Tournament through the ESPN family of networks and CBC Sports; and a partnership with Major League Baseball that includes the establishment of the MLB Little League Classic. In 2014, Dr. Gilmour also oversaw the celebration of Little League International’s 75th Anniversary and the 26th Little League International Congress in Minneapolis.
With Dr. Gilmour’s tenure concluded, Hugh E. Tanner of Houston, Texas, litigation partner with Morgan, Lewis & Bockius L.L.P., in Houston, was officially elected as the 10th Chairman of the Little League International Board of Directors at the November 10th meeting.
Mr. Tanner has been involved with the Little League program in a variety of different roles throughout his career, from volunteering as a coach and League President for West University Little League where he founded the Little League Challenger Division® program to serving as the co-chairman of the 24th Little League International Congress.
Mr. Tanner received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Mississippi’s School of Law in 1985, where he was managing editor for the Mississippi Law Journal. Mr. Tanner received his Bachelor of Business Administration, cum laude, in accounting from the University of Mississippi in 1980. Mr. Tanner is a member of the University of Mississippi Hall of Fame.
“It is an honor to represent such an impactful organization as its chairman and I hope to continue to respectfully represent those who have served in this role before me,” said Mr. Tanner. “Volunteering at the local level as a League President, serving as a co-chairman for the Little League 24th Little League International Congress, and my time on the International Board of Directors, all have been uniquely-rewarding experiences and I am looking forward to the future of the Little League program.”
As part of the new transition, Steven P. Johnson, of Williamsport, Pa., UPMC Susquehanna President and CEO, was appointed as Vice Chairman during Mr. Tanner’s term. Mr. Johnson was elected to the Board at the 26th Little League International Congress, which convened in April 2014. He will assume his chairmanship at the annual meeting of the Little League International Board of Directors in November 2022.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Little League International Board of Directors member and world-renowned orthopedic surgeon, Dr. James Andrews (Gulf Breeze, Fla.), tenure on the Board came to end. The founder and medical director of the American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI) in Birmingham, Ala., Dr. Andrews has been instrumental in the establishment of Little League’s pitch count rules in 2005 and pitching arm safety measures over the last decade.
“This is an important time for Little League International as we transition to new leadership for our Board of Directors and we are looking forward to a great future under their strong and effective direction,” said Stephen D. Keener, Little League President and CEO. “It is also an honor to bid farewell to Dr. Andrews following a memorable tenure on the Little League International Board, and our thanks to him for his dedication to the our program and for all his vital contributions to the youth sports industry through his research and safety efforts, and especially for his commitment to arm safety through the establishment of Little League’s pitch count initiatives.”