Metropolitan Wrestling Association
Fostering the sport of wrestling in the New York Metropolitan Area
Seated: John Welch, President MWA, USAW – NJ-State Chairman; Dr. Vince Zuaro; Setrak Agonian, Past President;Bill Farrell, Chairman - Board of Corporate Adivsors; Sonny Greenhalgh, Vice President; Ed Gould, Vice President MWA, USAW-NY State Chairman
Standing: Matt Peckham, at Large; Dave Foxen, Tresurer; Tod Giles, Active Athlete;Bill Crum, Executive Director; Paul Kieblesz, at Large; Marcia Haise, at Large; Al Bevilacqua, Chairman of the Board.
Missing: Larry Cantor, Secretary; Brian Reardon, USAW-CT; Jerry Seckler, Friends of Long Island Wrestling.
Standing: Matt Peckham, at Large; Dave Foxen, Tresurer; Tod Giles, Active Athlete;Bill Crum, Executive Director; Paul Kieblesz, at Large; Marcia Haise, at Large; Al Bevilacqua, Chairman of the Board.
Missing: Larry Cantor, Secretary; Brian Reardon, USAW-CT; Jerry Seckler, Friends of Long Island Wrestling.
The MWA Board and Staff
At first, the primary objective was to work with USA Wrestling to promote major events in New York. Among those events were World Dual meets between National Teams of the United States and the Soviet Union in 1985, 86 and 89; Russia in 1994, Bulgaria in 1991; Armenia in 1994 and Cuba in 1997. Additionally, the MWA played a prominent role in the success of the Goodwill Games in 1998.
President Setrak Agonian leads the MWA. Mr. Agonian served on the FILA Marketing Commission in 1990. By his invitation and sponsorship, Armenia vs USA for the first time as an Independent Nation in New York and Boston. In the same year in September, Agonian was Honored to be elected as the Founding member of the Armenian Olympic Commettee. He also initiated the first participation of Armenia in 1994 Winter Olympic Games at Lilyhammer, Norway. After that, served as a Vice-President and was elected in the European Olympic Commettee under the newly elected IOC president Jack Rogge, as Member of the Marketting Commettee and New Wave Communication Commettee.
The Chairman of the Board of the MWA is Al Bevilacqua, a founding Board member of USA Wrestling and a long time contributor and coach. Has served on the FILA Coaches Commission for 6 years and is a retired high school educator who is president of Ac Sports, an athletic base company in New York.
The two vice presidents of the MWA are retired Superintendent of Schools Dr. Vince Zuaro (referee of numerous World and Olympic Championships) and Sonny Greenhalgh, Director of Wrestling for the New York Athletic Club.
The Treasurer is Dave Foxen, an executive with Bank One and Chairman of the Wrestling Committee of the NYAC. The Secretary is Larry Cantor, a New York City School administrator who is also a long time official and contributor to USAW at the local, State and National level.
Executive Director Bill Crum, a member of USAW’s Board and Executive Committee, and a former Executive Director with Boys and Girls Clubs of America provides the professional leadership of the MWA. He has served as both the First and Second Vice President of USAW, has coached on the High School and College levels and is a Nationally ranked “IE” referee/judge with the USWOA.
The MWA has expanded its scope and is now inclusive of all the major wrestling organizations within the USA Wrestling family in the New York area including the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut State affiliates of USA Wrestling as well as groups like the New York Athletic Club and the Friends of Long Island Wrestling. No less than five Board members are or have been Board members for USA Wrestling. Two are current USAW Executive Committee members.
The recently reconstituted Board represents the best wrestling minds in the area. Additionally, they are firmly committed to the diverse goals of USAW as outlined in the mission statement.
The MWA was chosen to lead the Competition Management staff (with its Executive Director serving as Competition Manager) for the World Championships, scheduled for September 2001 (since postponed due to the September 11th tragedy).
