USA Pickleball Names Chuck Menke as Chief Marketing Officer

Executive leader brings 27 years of results-driven experience at the highest levels of the sports industry

SURPRISE, Arizona, June 22, 2022 —USA Pickleball, the National Governing Body for the sport of pickleball in the United States, today announced that Chuck Menke was named Chief Marketing Officer. As a member of the executive leadership team, Menke will guide the revenue, marketing, and communications verticals for the organization.

Menke’s career within the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Movement, NCAA Division I Athletics and the National Hockey League includes more than two decades with U.S. National Governing Bodies such as USA Triathlon and USA Hockey. Most recently he served as Interim CEO of Sparking Life, a national non-profit organization dedicated to advancing mind-body wellness through physical fitness.

Previously Menke was the Chief Marketing Officer at USA Triathlon for nearly 11 years, where he led record sales income through non-endemic corporate partnerships such as Toyota, Transamerica and Capital One. He also drove the marketing strategy to reach an all-time high in organizational membership and directed the communications strategies for multiple Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“Today USA Pickleball is at the forefront of a sport experiencing exponential growth, and I’m thrilled to be in a position to help us realize its vast potential moving forward,” said Menke. “This is a community defined not by a number, but rather by its contagious appeal. I would like to thank our CEO, Stu Upson, and our President, Robert Quicksilver, for extending this unique opportunity.”

“We are truly excited to have Chuck in the CMO role for USA Pickleball as the sport continues to expand and accelerate in all directions,” said Stu Upson, USA Pickleball CEO. “Chuck is a highly experienced and accomplished leader in the sports industry, with a proven track record of delivering unprecedented results in a variety of disciplines.”

Prior to USA Triathlon, he spent three years at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut, where he was instrumental in opening the TD Bank Sports Center, a $55 million, state-of-the-art arena for basketball and hockey. Previously Menke was Director of Broadcasting & Communications with the NHL’s St. Louis Blues, overseeing strategic communications during the 2004–05 NHL Lockout, the NHL re-launch in 2005–06, and a subsequent team sale. While at USA Hockey, Menke served as Director of Media & Public Relations. His international team staff appointments included the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, and numerous IIHF World Championships.

A Pennsylvania native, Menke graduated from the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism. His freelance work includes NBC Sports, USA Today, and ESPN. He resides in Colorado Springs, Colorado with his wife, Julie, and two children.