The United States Olympic Committee elected Electronic Arts Board chairman and former CEO Larry Probst as its new chairman, replacing former MLB commissioner Peter Ueberroth later this month.
According to
a report from the New York Times, Uberroth first approached Probst six to seven months ago, believing he would be a good fit for the position.
Probst eventually joined the U.S.O.C.'s board of directors last month, and, in a unanimous vote, the 10-member board picked him to lead the organization for the next four years.
As chairman, his duties with the committee will include collecting financial support from sponsors, branching out the organization "in various multimedia," and helping secure Chicago's bid to host the 2016 Summer Games.
Previously, Probst joined Electronic Arts in 1984 as vice president of sales, taking on the role of CEO in 2004. He stepped down in 2007, making way for John Riccitiello's return to the company, but retained his duties as EA's chairman.
"The EA Sports brand is one of the most recognized brands in the video games industry," says Probst. "I’ve been doing that for 15-plus years. As a consequence of that, I have had a lot of exposure to commissioners, leaders in sports."
