New Female NSAC Chairperson

In September 2007, Pat Lundvall became the second female appointed to the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Just a little more than two years later, Lundvall is the first female to chair the committee.

When the motion to select Lundvall was made, during a recent NSAC meeting, it was seconded and approved unanimously.

"I was honored, recognizing that there's a lot of work going into it," said Lundvall, who will start the part-time position Nov. 1. "I think that if you're first at anything, it's an honor and an obligation. From that perspective, I am very pleased, very honored."

Lundvall, an attorney for the law firm McDonald-Carano-Wilson which has offices in Reno and Las Vegas, takes the reins of what she calls one of the most well-run public commissions in the state. She said the NSAC needs to maintain its efficiency and quality execution in regulating all contests and exhibitions of unarmed combat.

"My concern is maintaining that standard and trying to find areas where I can improve upon that standard," said Lundvall, who was admitted to practice law in Nevada in 1989. "Streamlining procedures, trying to ensure that those procedures adequately meet the needs of our contestants, promoters, anybody that is subject to those licensing requirements."

Her biggest objective: "Doing everything we can to ensure that every big fight that happens in the U.S. is fought here in Nevada."

Lundvall has been involved in the regulation and eventual success of the now-mainstream sport of mixed martial arts.

"We're absolutely thrilled in its rise in popularity," she said. "We would hope that we have had something to do with it."

In it's early form, critics said MMA was barbaric. With the advent of more rules and regulation, it's been increasingly accepted.

"I've learned to appreciate the sport," said Lundvall, who followed Amy Ayoub (1999-2002) as the second female commissioner in 2007. "It's like watching a chess match. I think it's a very intelligent sport because if you play chess, you know that each single move is usually a set up, or a precursor to an overall strategy, overall offense, overall defense. That's the part I enjoy."

She seams very pro MMA, thats good. She's also linked to the Caranos and that is something that just makes you go hhhmmmm.

My source is Scott Oxarart sports @ rgj.com.