Forty-eight years is a long time to stick with any occupation, and Don Porter just decided that 48 years was enough.
Porter, the President of Plant City’s own International Softball Federation, is calling it a career and phasing into retirement.
“I felt having served 48 years (22 as Secretary General, and 26 as President) was enough and it was time for Softball to have new leadership,” Porter said in a press release.
He has nominated Dale McMann, the ISF’s First Vice-President since 2009, to succeed him. Porter will remain on the Board of Directors to help McMann in the interim, as the organization continues to fight to get baseball and softball back in the Olympics.
In the meantime, Porter will finish his current term as World Baseball Softball Committee co-President with Riccardo Fraccari, which is set to end in March 2014.
“Thank you to all those who have supported, counseled and provided much-needed input during those many years,” Porter said. “And, to the athletes, ‘don’t ever give up.'”