TRACY SMITH BECOMES SARA PRESIDENT

SARA has a new president – the first woman to lead the organization in its 57-year history. Tracy Rude Smith ’90 got a lengthy round of applause after her uncontested election at the annual meeting at Archbold Gymnasium on Saturday, Feb. 23.

“I’m deeply honored and fully appreciate the gravity of this appointment,” Smith told about two dozen SARA members at the meeting.

She moved up from first vice president, succeeding Jason Premo ’98, who had been SARA president the past two years. Bill Purdy ’79, another Olympian and member of the ’78 IRA Champion Eight becomes first vice president and Lynne Della Pelle Pascale ‘81 steps in as second vice-president. Joe Paduda ‘80 was re-elected as secretary along with Joe Kieffer ’88 as treasurer and Martha Mogish Rowe ‘81 as assistant treasurer.

SARA also added two more women to the board of directors, Aliza Seeber ’04 and Erica (Mahon) Page ’08, who succeeds her father Bryan Mahon ’82 on the board. Josh Stratton ’01 also became a SARA director. The three are the first alums from the 2000s on the SARA board.

Sheila Roock ’85 and Kristin Bidwell ’90 were re-elected as directors. Seven of the 24 directors now are women with one seat open and SARA on the lookout for more alumnae interested in being involved.

Smith said this is the time to incorporate women fully into SARA as active supporters and participants. “We tried a couple of years ago I know it wasn’t so successful but I know we can do it this time I think the timing is right,” Smith said. “The coaches, with the board we have now and where the programs work in cooperation (make success likely.)”

On the afternoon before her election Smith and former SARA President Tom Darling ’81 spent a couple of hours visiting with SARA co-founder Dr. Bruce Chamberlain at his home in Jamesville and got him to autograph her copy of “The Mark of the Oarsmen.”

“He was very gracious,” Smith said. “But I think we have some things to prove.”

Chamberlain was impressed. “I think she’s imbued with the spirit to go ahead and do some things,” he said. “I think she’s out to prove it and she will.”