The United States Olympic Committee today announced the hiring of Jon Denney as chief development officer and president of the newly created United States Olympic and Paralympic Foundation. In his role, Denney will oversee all organizational fundraising initiatives and will report directly to Blackmun.

"One of our top organizational priorities is to substantially increase the amount of philanthropic support generated for U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes, and Jon is a perfect fit to lead that charge," said Blackmun. "He is extremely well-versed in all areas of fundraising, especially as it pertains to sport, and we are confident that he will have an immediate and lasting impact on the USOC and the athletes we serve."

Denney joins the USOC from Stanford University, where he played a senior role in the university's highly successful Office of Development for more than a decade. A former All-American swimmer and proven development executive, Denney will make an immediate impact in the USOC's ambitious fundraising objectives. In addition to acting as chief development officer, he will serve as president of the USOPF, an entity recently established by the USOC to transform the level of philanthropic support directed to U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes.

"Sport has always been my passion and being able to help U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes achieve their dreams will truly be an honor," said Denney. "With the creation of the new foundation, it is an exciting time and I'm very much looking forward to being part of a new era of philanthropy for the USOC."

Denney will assume his new position on Sept. 1 and will be based in the San Francisco Bay Area and Colorado Springs, Colo.