At its annual meeting on Friday, November 11, 2022, hosted by Major League Baseball at their offices in New York City, the Little League® International Board of Directors announced its leadership transition as Hugh E. Tanner (Houston, Texas) concludes his five-year term as Chairman of the Board.
Under the new leadership, Steven P. Johnson (Williamsport, Pa.) will advance his position from Vice Chairman to Chairman and oversee the operations of the Board of Directors for a five-year term through 2028. The Board has also elected Jon D. Litner (Westport, Conn.) as the Vice Chairman and will be next in line to serve as Chairman starting in 2028 once Mr. Johnson’s service concludes. While no longer serving as Chairman, Mr. Tanner will remain a member of the Board of Directors and continue his volunteer service to the organization.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as the Chairman of the Board these past five years, and I am thankful to all my fellow Board members and the entire organization for allowing me this opportunity,” said Mr. Tanner. “I could not be more proud of that work that this organization has accomplished over the past few years, the resilience our volunteers have shown through such difficult times, and the memories that our Little Leaguers have gotten to experience on and off the field. I look forward to the future of the organization under the leadership of Steve and Jon and am proud to be a member of this incredible Board of Directors.”
During his time as Chairman, Mr. Tanner has helped lead the organization to develop a five-year strategic plan; enhance its Girls with Game initiative with new events and the most watched Little League Softball® World Series in 2022; navigate through the pandemic and provide support to volunteers as they return to the field; oversee the organization and operation of two International Congress events; celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Little League Baseball® World Series; successfully relocate the Little League Softball World Series location to Greenville, North Carolina, and the Central Region Headquarters to Whitestown, Ind.; provided additional opportunities through expansion of the World Series in both Greenville and Williamsport; forge a partnership with the Cuban Baseball Federation bringing Little League to the island; and extended the broadcast rights agreement with ESPN through 2030.
Chairman Steven P. Johnson – Williamsport, Pa.
Elected to serve as Vice Chairman in 2017, Mr. Johnson has been a member of the Little League International Board of Directors since 2014 and currently serves as the Co-CEO of Chengdu Wanda UPMC International Hospital in China while also continuing to support selected strategic initiatives for UPMC in North Central Pa.
“First and foremost, I would like to thank Hugh for his leadership and servitude as Chairman these past five years and his overall commitment to the Little League program. Thanks to his guidance, the Little League program continues to thrive and is set for an exciting future,” said Mr. Johnson. “It is an absolute honor to have the opportunity to serve as Chairman of the Board and I look forward to working with Jon and the entire Board of Directors as we look to continue Little League’s legacy and provide the opportunity to experience this great program in more communities around the world.”
Vice Chairman Jon D. Litner – Westport, Conn.
A member of the Little League International Board of Directors since 2006, Mr. Litner currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the YES Network. In his role on the board, Mr. Litner has served on numerous committees including Chairman of the Broadcast, Marketing, and New Media Committee, as well as the Management Oversight, Human Resources Committee, and Investment Committee, and has been instrumental in the advancement of the Little League program over the past 15 years.
“I am truly humbled to be elected by my fellow board members to serve as the next Vice Chairman and work with incoming Chairman Steve Johnson,” said Mr. Litner. “I have had the great privilege of serving on this board for more than five years, collaborating with my fellow board members to advance the mission and values of Little League International. I look forward to working with Chairman Johnson and my fellow board members to help lead this program to new heights.”
The management of the property and business affairs of Little League Baseball, Incorporated, is vested in the International Board of Directors. The Board has the control of the corporation and the power to appoint such standing committees as it shall determine and to delegate such responsibilities as it shall deem advisable.
Nine members of the Board are Field Directors. Each represent one of Little League’s nine regions and are nominated by their peers for election to four-year terms by their region’s District Administrators. The members of the Little League International Board of Directors are volunteers in this service to Little League. They receive no compensation for their dedicated work on behalf of the program and the children of the world.