The Greensboro Sports Foundation didn’t have to look far to find new leadership.

Greensboro Sports Foundation Vice Chairman Richard Beard has been appointed to the newly created position of president and CEO effective Wednesday, June 1.

Beard will leave his real estate and development career with Schulman & Beard Commercial Real Estate to assume his new position.

Chairman of the Greensboro Sports Foundation Mark Prince said in a press release, “The Foundation is excited that Richard will be fully engaged in focusing his passion for growing sports tourism in our region.  His vast experience and infectious enthusiasm will bode well for our organization in the new role of President and CEO.  I look forward to working with Richard as we are now poised to ignite Greensboro Sports Foundation as a driving force in sports related economic growth for our area.”

The Greensboro Sports Foundation was created in 2018 to lead efforts in hosting major sporting events held throughout the Greensboro area.  Since its inception Rob Goodman has served as the executive director, but in May Goodman announced he would be leaving that position at the end of June to work fulltime at 3-G Sports LLC, a company he founded in 2004.

The appointment of Beard as the president and CEO is part of a plan to expand the role of the foundation in sports tourism to include greater collaboration with local officials and amateur sports organizations to enhance and expand facilities, to increase community awareness of sports tourism, assist in recruiting of major amateur sports events, expand the volunteer base and continue to build Greensboro’s “Tournament Town” brand.

Beard said, “My passion for everything Greensboro, coupled with the rich history Greensboro has in amateur sports, makes this truly a dream opportunity for me.  Greensboro has developed an incredible platform for sports tourism and has a reputation for excellence with hosting major events including ACC and NCAA Basketball Tournaments, USA Swimming meets, AAU youth sporting events, USA Figure Skating Championships and may others.  Our brand of “Tournament Town” could not be more fitting and I am thrilled to take the Greensboro Sports Foundation to a more prominent level.  We have a great story to tell and I am ready to let the world know.”

About