Doug Logan - CEO

Doug Logan on July 17, 2008, was named CEO of USA Track & Field, the national governing body for track and field, long distance running and race walking.

As CEO, Logan is charged with overseeing all aspects of the sport in the United States, including developing, marketing and growing the sport; honing its business plan; negotiating contracts; attracting sponsors; growing track and field’s television and new media presence; fighting drugs in sport; and serving USATF’s nearly 100,000 constituent members.

Upon his hiring, a fellow sports executive quipped, “you only take the easy ones.” For his part, Logan laid out his goals: "I believe the sport is poised for a major leap of growth … I will devote my energies to maintaining and improving the U.S. position at the top of the medal charts in World Championships and Olympic Games, and I will be a passionate messenger in our battle against Performance Enhancing Drugs. I will act as a fair but firm agent for change as the organization goes through a stressful restructuring, and I believe we can improve on our impressive grass-roots membership numbers.

"With my experience in international business and sports, I hope to foster better relations with the IAAF and IOC. I believe there is a vast potential for growth in sponsorship sales, event creation and television outreach. Finally, I will institute a 'customer service culture' in the National Office in its relations with volunteer leadership and membership."

Previously employed in his family’s business field of heavy construction and geotechnical engineering, Logan’s move to the sports and entertainment industry came when he re-evaluated his career goals in the late 1970s. Moving forward, he was determined “to earn a living from those things that I was most passionate about -- music and sports.”

Those goals were quickly realized and, prior to USATF, reached a zenith when he was named the first commissioner of Major League Soccer, serving in that capacity from the inauguration of the league in 1995 to 1999. He led the league through a record-breaking premier season, averaging over 17,000 fans per match. Sports Business Daily named Logan and the MLS staff Sports Industrialists of the Year for 1996.

Logan formed Empresario, LLC in 1999, serving diverse clients in North America, Central America, South America and Spain. In 2001, he was brought in as a consultant in the creation of a professional National Rugby League, much in the same vein as MLS, structuring the new league as a "single entity" system. Logan also serves as Chairman and CEO of Face_iT Technologies, Inc., a company devoted to exploiting innovative facial animation technologies for the film and gaming industries.

Logan was the promoter of the first commercial Arena Football League game in April, 1985. He was a founder, regent and lecturer at the Public Assembly Facility Management School[PAFMS] in Oglebay, WV. From 1993 until 1995 Logan served as Director General of OCESA, SA, the largest concert promotion company in Mexico. He was Senior Vice President of Ogden Entertainment Services from 1985 to 1993 and General Manager of the Rockford MetroCentre from 1979 to 1985. He is a former Vice President of the US Soccer Federation and a former District Vice President of the International Association of Assembly Managers (IAAM). In July, 2008, the IAAM honored Logan with its Presidential Citation, which recognizes the extraordinary contributions of individuals who have brought great distinction to that industry.

Raised in a bilingual, multicultural family, Logan’s native language was Spanish, having been born in Cuba before moving as a child to the United States. He fought with the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam, where he was decorated with two Bronze Stars. Logan drove a taxicab in New York City for three years and began his career in the entertainment business as a beer vendor in Yankee Stadium while attending Manhattan College.

A lifelong competitive road runner at distances from 10 km to the marathon, Logan has clocked a marathon personal best under 4 hours.