FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mike Jakubowski | PR/Media Relations

Professional Bowlers Association | 719 Second Avenue, Suite 701 | Seattle, WA 98104

Tel: 414.651.6965 | Fax: 206.332.9722 | mike.jakubowski@pba.com





Clark to Assume Role of PBA Deputy Commissioner in May

Chief Operating Officer Will Oversee Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour Competitions and Media



SEATTLE (January 21, 2009) - Tom Clark will be handed new responsibilities as Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer of the Professional Bowlers Association on May 1, PBA Commissioner and CEO Fred Schreyer announced today.



Clark, who has served as PBA COO and Vice President of Marketing since May 2008 will assume primary responsibility for all Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour, PBA Senior Tour and PBA Regional Tour competitions as well as television, marketing and communications.



“Since joining the PBA in May 2008 Tom has played a major role in shaping our strategic direction and positioning the PBA for success,” Schreyer said. “As we continue the celebration of our 50th Anniversary Season, I am pleased to know that moving forward Tom will play an even larger role in creating additional opportunities for the PBA and its players.”



Clark has signed Gemini Sport Marketing as the official jersey of the PBA Tour, introduced compelling new tournament formats, television and marketing strategies and created the Chris Paul PBA Celebrity Invitational. Clark also led several initiatives this season surrounding the 50th Anniversary of the formation of the PBA Tour.



“I love the PBA, its great history and its potential for the future. I look forward to bringing maximum enjoyment to the fans and value for our sponsors,” said Clark. “Working with Fred Schreyer, our dedicated staff, television partner ESPN and the world’s best players, we are about to embark on the next 50 years of the PBA Tour with a great passion to elevate the PBA’s status in the world of sports and sports entertainment to where it belongs.”



Clark, a former sports assignment editor at USA Today from 2000-2005, was named the Bowlers Journal Person of the Year in 2005 and was the Billiards and Bowling Institute of America’s Industry Service Award recipient in 2008. Prior to coming to the PBA, Clark was the United States Bowling Congress Vice President of Marketing and Communications from 2005-2008. Clark is on the Bowling Writers Association of America board of directors and serves on The Bowling Foundation’s public awareness committee.



While with the USBC, he signed NBA player Chris Paul as an official spokesman for bowling. Clark also helped revitalize women’s professional bowling by leading the rebirth of the U.S. Women’s Open in 2007 which led to the launch of the PBA Women’s Series presented by USBC. Under Clark’s direction bowling returned to broadcast network television after 10 years as USBC’s Clash of Bowling Champions aired on CBS last May. Clark also served as the editor of US Bowler and US Youth Bowler leading the public relations effort for bowling’s national governing body. He also continued to write, penning articles and columns for publications including Bowlers Journal International.



Clark, 39, grew up in Syracuse, N.Y., and bowled collegiately at Buffalo State College. Before working for USA Today he was sports editor, managing editor and executive editor for southeast newspapers in the Media General chain. He resides in Muskego, Wis., with his wife Kelli and two children.





About the PBA

The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) features the best bowlers in the world competing in National, Regional and Senior Tour events and will award over $4.3 million in prize money during the 2008-09 Lumber Liquidators PBA National Tour. The organization has more than 4,000 members spanning 13 countries, and nearly one million viewers tune-in to watch the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour every Sunday on ESPN throughout the season. PBA sponsors include Bayer, Brunswick, CLR, Denny's, Etonic, Flomax, GEICO, Go RVing, H&R Block, Lumber Liquidators, Motel 6, Pepsi-Cola and the USBC, among others. For more information on the PBA, log on to www.pba.com.