Tom Grilk Stepping Down As B.A.A. President And CEO After Boston Marathon In April

BOSTON (CBS) -- After more than 11 years as president and CEO of the Boston Athletic Association, Tom Grilk is stepping down.

The B.A.A. announced Wednesday that Grilk will be transitioning into a senior advisor role in May after the Boston Marathon on April 18. Grilk will stay on as president and CEO through April 30.

"It has been an enormous and gratifying privilege to lead the B.A.A. and to serve with a magnificent group of colleagues who have been instrumental in the organization's development and growth," said Grilk. "These include my fellow staff members at the B.A.A.; our Board of Governors; our relentlessly supportive sponsors; the Organizing Committee; public service, safety, and medical officials; and the thousands of volunteers who come out every year to take care of athletes from around the world."

COO Jack Fleming will serve as acting CEO, effective May 1, while a search for the permanent CEO is undertaken.

Grilk served on the B.A.A.'s Board of Governors from 2003-10, before becoming the executive director in 2011. His title was transitioned to CEO in 2016.

"The members of the Board want to express their deepest appreciation to Tom for his tremendous years of service and his impactful vision in creating and navigating a path of success for the organization," Michael O'Leary, MD, Chair of the Board of Governors of the B.A.A. said in the announcement. "He guided us during the aftermath of the 2013 terror attack on the City of Boston to most recently the COVID-19 pandemic. We also want to recognize Tom for his gifted leadership in working with the Board to develop closer ties to our community, including through the newly launched Boston Running Collaborative, an initiative which seeks to expand access to running and walking in communities of color across Boston. Tom was also instrumental in bringing in the Boston Marathon as a founding member of the Abbott World Marathon Majors. His legacy to the B.A.A. will be his determination and passion to advance the mission of our organization."

You can watch live coverage of the 126th Boston Marathon on WBZ-TV and CBS Boston.com on Monday April 18, 2022.