Ekeren replaces Val Belmonte after he stepped down from his position last month to take up a new role as the chief executive of a non profit association is his home city of Chicago.

Although Belmonte only spent one year as chief executive, under his stewardship USA Fencing underwent several structural changes and is projected to generate $840,000 (£534,000/€633,000) in positive income for the 2012-2013 financial year.

This would be a record for the organisation in the last decade. 

After only winning one bronze medal at the London Olympics in 2012, this improvement was also replicated on the piste with the US team winning three medals at the recent World Championships in Budapest.

This included America's first ever individual world title won by a man courtesy of Miles Chamley-Watson in the men's foil. 

Miles Chamley-Watson (right) won a gold medal at the 2013 World Fencing Championships in Budapest and has symbolised the improvements the sport has made over the last year in the USA





Ekeren will be expected to continue these improvements as the buildup to the next Olympic Games in Rio in 2016 gathers pace.

After first joining USA Fencing in 2011 as the director of membership services she has served as senior director of membership and administration since January 2013.

Before then she was the vice-president of national programs at the National Sports Center for the Disabled and has a long background working with parks and recreation districts in both Denver and Oklahoma City.

"We are very excited to have Kris step in as interim executive director," said USA Fencing President Donald Anthony.

"Kris is a consummate professional and I am confident that she will be able to keep the National Office operating without missing a beat." 

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