USATT Reaches Agreement with new Executive Director, Training Center

On April 14, 2003, the USATT Board of Directors, by a vote of 11-0, approved the Early Termination of Oakbrook Training Center Agreement and the Employment Agreement for Teodor “Doru” Gheorghe. (For specific votes on the motion, see the USATT Minutes.) Shortly thereafter, USATT President Sheri Pittman and Bob Allshouse, the Director of Oakbrook Training Center, signed the former agreement and Sheri Pittman and Teodor “Doru” Gheorghe signed the latter agreement.  These actions complete the process to execute a previously approved motion to promote USA Women's Coach Gheorghe to the position of Executive Director for USA Table Tennis, effective April 8, 2003.  

The Oakbrook Agreement, a ten-year contract that was signed in 1994 and would otherwise have expired on December 31, 2004, required USATT to hire a national coach who had to reside at or near the Oakbrook Training Center, as well as make payments for rent, utilities, and insurance to Bob Allshouse and the Oakbrook Training Center.  Its early termination is a mechanism that allows Gheorghe to work elsewhere without USATT having to hire a replacement for him at Oakbrook.  It also means that USATT ceases to make monthly payments to Allshouse, can hold training camps for the National Team at locations other than Oakbrook (prohibited by the contract, except in certain special cases), can again run a tournament called the U.S. Open Teams Championships, and eliminates any possibility of legal expenses from potential litigation after the Oakbrook Agreement, if it had run its full course. 

Under the Early Termination Agreement, USATT will make a one-time payment of $10,000 to Allshouse, but the organization will save a net of about $85,000 from now through December 2004 by not being required to make monthly payments to Allshouse, to hire an under-utilized National Coach at Oakbrook, and to hire another person as executive director at Colorado Springs.  Elite athletes will be the primary beneficiaries of the savings.  

The Employment Agreement offers an unprecedented three-year contract to Gheorghe who also will retain his current coaching position.  This arrangement results in a stabilization of the positions and provides job security to Gheorghe who otherwise risks a secured position with free housing at Oakbrook by relocating with his family to Colorado Springs. 

Sheri Pittman and Bob Allshouse are responsible for initiating negotiations that culminated in these two important agreements in USATT history, and in their resultant developments.  After the recent resignation of Clark Mitchell as executive director, they recognized that a situation and an opportunity existed whereby an amicable agreement between USATT and Oakbrook Training Center, Inc. could be reached that would immediately terminate the Oakbrook Agreement, close the Training Center, and allow for the promotion and relocation of Gheorghe, on terms favorable to both parties. Allshouse stated that what motivated him to agree to an early termination of the Oakbrook Agreement was his high regard for Gheorghe who has worked with him for six years as USA Women’s National Coach at Oakbrook, and his desire to do something for USATT.  In his proposal he wrote, “As you know, Teodor Gheorghe carries with him my highest recommendation.  I also believe him to be highly qualified and would prove to be an excellent choice for the Executive Director position.  I can think of nothing that could benefit the USATT more at this time than to provide some guidance and stability for the staff and office.”  

USATT acknowledges the services of pro bono legal advisor Dennis Taylor, an attorney of the law firm Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville, P.C.  Taylor assisted in the negotiation with Gheorghe and Allshouse, and in the drafting of the final agreements. 

Gheorghe left for Colorado Springs right after the conclusion of the North American Championships in San Diego on April 6.  He has been working as the de facto executive director at USATT headquarters from April 8 to April 12.  He is back at Oakbrook, but has said that he will complete his relocation to Colorado Springs with his family on April 18.