W&L Alum Heads U.S. Professional Tennis Association
John Embree, a 1975 Washington and Lee graduate and a member of the W&L Athletic Hall of Fame, has been named the new CEO/executive director of the United States Professional Tennis Association.
John has held a variety of positions in the tennis industry over the past 30 years. He has been president of Prince Sport and of Balle de Match L.L.C., and vice president/general manager of the Racquet Sports Division for Wilson Sporting Goods Co. He had most recently been consulting for several tennis-related organizations, including the United States Tennis Association, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association and Donnay USA.
In a USPTA news release, John said: “I began my tennis odyssey during college as a teaching professional in Virginia. After more than three decades of working in the sport that I began playing at six years old, my career has come full circle, back to my foundation as a grassroots advocate. I am thrilled to have been chosen by the Executive Committee to help lead the USPTA in the years to come.”
John served on numerous USTA committees and is credited with creating the USTA Adult League Tennis program in 1980.
A two-sport athlete at W&L, John lettered in soccer and tennis each of his four years and was captain of the tennis team in his final two seasons. He was second-team All-State in soccer as a junior. In tennis, he played No. 1 singles in his final two seasons and was named the team MVP three times and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Player of the Year twice, including his senior season, when he led W&L to an 18-6 record and earned honorable mention All-America.
John is transitioning to his new position this month and will move to the USPTA headquarters in Houston in November.
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