Kaye brings more than 20 years of diverse sports management experience to the organisation and most recently held the role of executive director and general manager of Rockford Area Venues and Entertainment.

The entities for which the table tennis aficionado was responsible - the BMO Harris Bank Centre, American Hockey League's (AHL) Rockford IceHogs, Davis Park and the Coronado Theatre - all saw record attendance, sales growth and increased visibility under his leadership.

Kaye will be tasked with increasing the USATT's brand awareness and growing its membership, which currently stands at more than 9,000 people.

"I've personally experienced the greatness of the sport, the environment and the culture," he said.

"There are very few times in life where you get the opportunity to marry your professional background with your passion.

"I am honoured to be chosen to lead this new era of USA Table Tennis and to have the opportunity to grow the organisation and the sport."

USA Table Tennis aims to engage people who play the sport as a recreational past time ©Getty Images



Research from the Sports and Fitness Industry Association indicates there may be more than 17 million people in the US who play table tennis, or ping-pong as it is often referred to.

The USATT's mission goal is to engage with recreational and tournament players alike in order to unite the sport and provide opportunities to enhance the US' presence and competitiveness on the world stage.

Dr Michael Babuin, USATT chairman of the Board, said: "This is a pivotal time for USATT.

"We are excited to invest in an executive of Gordon's calibre and experience.

"His expertise will help us as we examine and address the challenges and opportunities we face as an organisation.

"Gordon's proven track record of success as an agent of strategic and successful evolution will help USATT better serve its members and bring increased exposure to the sport."

Earlier this year, Kaye was honoured with the 2013-2014 James C. Hendy Memorial Award which is given annually to an outstanding AHL executive.