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148sell, sportswriter for the Indianapolis News, was appointed to fi ll this position and began his duties on July 1, 1994.On January 13, 1995, C. Eugene Cato retired as Commissioner. On October 13, 1994, the Executive Committee appointed Robert B. Gardner as the next Commissioner. He began his duties on January 13, 1995. Blake Ress, former Principal of Martinsville High School, was named the new Assistant Commissioner on December 16, 1994.On April 29, 1996, the Board of Directors voted 12-5 to implement multiple classes for tournament play in team sports beginning in the 1997-98 school year. Twenty principals in each of the fi ve IHSAA legislative districts signed petitions calling for a referendum on the multiple class tournament adoption by the Board of Directors. The referendum vote was held with all ballots to be received by September 16, 1996. The action of the Board of Directors was upheld by the principals in a vote of 220 in favor and 157 opposed.On December 12, 1997, after 20 years of service, Assistant Commissioner Mildred Morgan Ball announced her retirement, eff ective June 30, 1997. On March 21, 1997, Theresia Wynns, Principal, Creston Middle School, Indianapolis, and long-time IHSAA licensed offi cial, was appointed as the new Assistant Commissioner and began her duties on July 1, 1997.On February 19, 1999, after 271/2 years of service, Assistant Commissioner Patricia Roy announced her retirement, eff ective June 30, 1999. Sandy Searcy, Girls Athletic Director and Swimming Coach at Bloomington North High School was appointed as the new Assistant Commissioner on May 3, 1999, and began her duties on July 1, 1999.On March 27, 2000, after 15 years of service, including 51/2 as Commissioner, Robert B. Gardner announced his resignation to become Chief Operating Offi cer of the Indianapolisbased National Federation of State High School Associations. On April 10, 2000, the Executive Committee appointed Assistant Commissioner Blake Ress as the next Commissioner. He began his duties July 1, 2000. On June 16, 2000, Bobby Cox, Athletic Director at Carmel High School was named as the new Assistant Commissioner. He also began his duties July 1, 2000.In May of 2000, the Association%u2019s Board of Directors adopted language regarding a %u201cCase Review Panel%u201d enacted by the Indiana General Assembly as an alternative to legal action when a party disagrees with the Association%u2019s fi nal decision. The Case Review Panel is comprised of nine individuals, including the Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction or his/her designee who would serve as the Panel%u2019s chairperson. At its annual meeting in April of 2001, the Board of Directors voted to reduce the number of legislative districts from fi ve to three eff ective with the 2001-02 school year. A restructuring of the Board%u2019s makeup also ensued with the number of high school classifi cations increasing from three to four thus ensuring representation of each competition class. The Board of Directors will continue to have 18 seats, with six seats being fi lled by two females, two minorities and two urban school representatives. Additionally, the Executive Committee would begin to be comprised of all members of the Board of Directors with each individual having the ability to vote on issues.On December 7, 2001, after 71/2 years of service, Sports Information Director Jim Russell announced his resignation to become Executive Director of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity, whose national headquarters are based locally. On January 10, 2002, Jerry Baker, with his recognizable television voice that has been associated with IHSAA football and basketball tournaments since 1978, was named Sports Information Director. On December 1, 2004, after nearly three years of service, Baker announced his resignation from his post. On December 16, Commissioner Blake Ress announced that Jason Wille, the IHSAA%u2019s Assistant Sports Information Director and an employee of 91/2 years, was named Sports Information Director. On January 26, 2005, Commissioner Ress announced the hiring of Joe Gentry as Communications Director, a new position in the Assocation%u2019s Offi ce. Gentry joined the IHSAA after a 17-year career as Sports Information Director for the University of Indianapolis. At its May 1, 2006 meeting, the IHSAA Board of Directors approved adding a 19th seat to its body reserved for a private school representative. The seat would be fi lled beginning with the 2007-08 school year.Gentry resigned his post as Communications Director in September, 2006 to return to his History of IHSAA