Since the Long Beach Century Club’s inception in 1957, there’s never been a president quite like Mike Fillipow—and for unique reasons. From keeping the club afloat during the pandemic to stepping up amid unexpected vacancies among president-elects, Fillipow ultimately served four of the last five years and is finally ready to hang it up.
The club hosted an End of Term Celebration for Fillipow last week, officially marking the end of his fourth tenure as president. He passed the gavel to new president Ray Lasher after serving more years than any president in the club’s history.
“It’s a happy but also a sad feeling,” Fillipow said. “I liked being president; it really filled a niche for me in retirement to keep my foot in the door with athletics in Long Beach, and I still will be a big part of the club. It was a good fit for me. It was a lot of work but I enjoyed it, and I’ll always be thankful for the last few years.”
Prior to Fillipow, only Dan Gooch had ever returned for multiple terms as president, serving in 1989-90 and again in 2004-05. Fillipow assumed the presidency during the pandemic in 2021 and served for two years before Mike Okabayashi took over for one year, after which Fillipow returned for two more terms.
The Century Club had a great turnout for its annual End of Term Celebration last week, where Fillipow received an official proclamation from Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson recognizing his contributions to the city. Fillipow also heard tributes from fellow club members, as well as his wife, Amy.
“It’s all flattering, but again, it’s so many people that have done everything,” Fillipow said. “None of the things during my presidency could have been accomplished without dozens to hundreds of people being active in the club. Somebody had to be in charge, but it’s really just the club as a whole. It’s the ship that keeps on moving with a different captain every year.”
He’d never boast about it himself, but Fillipow has overseen a period of tremendous growth for the Century Club, placing a major emphasis on growing its membership throughout his presidencies. Fillipow estimates the club had well under 300 members before his first term, and in the final week of his tenure, it surpassed the 400-member mark—a milestone he had been working toward for months.
Fillipow also pushed the club’s technological modernization while continuing its mission of supporting local sports programs throughout Long Beach. In April, the Century Club reached a major milestone by donating $100,000 to middle school, high school, and college athletic programs across the city during its annual gifting meeting.
“We’ve definitely evolved in all aspects and that was one of my biggest things,” Fillipow said. “But there are so many people in the club or behind the scenes that don’t get any credit. There are so many people that make so many different things happen between some of the people that have been here forever or even new people that have stepped up to bat. The goals take time and it was to my advantage to be able to push my goals year after year.”
Fillipow admits that not much will change now that his final term is over. He’ll remain heavily involved with the Century Club, continuing as co-chair of the Middle School Sports Banquet while contributing in a variety of other ways. He said the biggest difference will be finally being able to visit his children in Oregon during the fiscal year without having to schedule those trips around the academic calendar and club events.
Lasher’s presidency for the 2026-27 year began this week, with Cameron Ford set to follow as president-elect.
