The USPA Board of Directors met in San Antonio, Texas, March 2-4 for its winter board meeting. Highlights of the meeting include:
- The board selected Ron Bell, #181068, as the USPA Pacific Regional Director for the remainder of the term, following the resignation of Jason Putnam Gordon.
- The board awarded the 2019 USPA National Championships in all events (freefall and canopy events) to Skydive Paraclete XP in Raeford, North Carolina, in September.
- The 2019 National Collegiate Parachuting Championships will be at the Florida Skydiving Center in Lake Wales.
- The board adopted speed skydiving as an official USPA Nationals event and included it in the funded U.S. Parachute Team, effective with this year’s Nationals at Chicagoland Skydiving Center in Rochelle, Illinois, in September.
- The board tightened the requirements for USPA Instructor Examiner ratings in all disciplines. The changes will appear in the Instructional Rating Manual on the USPA website in the coming weeks.
- The board revised the disciplinary procedures to provide additional clarity and ensure members due process.
- The board approved a $100,000 disbursement—the largest-ever—from the U.S. Parachute Team Trust Fund for all U.S. Teams headed to 2018 World Championships.
The weekend also included the annual USPA General Membership Meeting, which attracted 100 USPA members from around Texas and across the U.S.
The USPA Board next meets July 13-15 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Look for a complete report in the May issue of Parachutist.