CALGARY - Jack Neumann, former long-time sports information director at the University of Calgary, has become the first Canadian-based SID to receive the prestigious Warren Berg Award from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
The Warren Berg Award is bestowed annually to a college division member of CoSIDA who has made outstanding contributions, as well as brought dignity and prestige, to the profession. The award will be presented at the Capital One Awards Gala on Monday evening, June 25, at the 2012 CoSIDA Convention in St. Louis.
Neumann directed Calgary's sports information program from 1978 until 2006 and currently works on contract in alumni development for the university's Dinos Athletics department.
“Hiring Jack Neumann was the best thing I ever did,” commented former Calgary athletic director, Dr. Dennis Kadatz. “The Dinos are his family and he always works with tremendous passion, loyalty and commitment. I recall sending Jack to his first CoSIDA Convention in 1980 with instructions to make friends and establish contacts, and he certainly did.”
After joining CoSIDA in 1978, Neumann became the first Canadian to serve on the Board of Directors (1990-92) and to be named to the CoSIDA Hall of Fame (2004). That year, he served as local chairperson for the annual convention, the first time CoSIDA has convened outside the United States.
As current CoSIDA 3rd vice-president Eric McDowell (Union College N.Y.) recalled, “Jack is an emotional, proud and caring individual, and he was a gracious and marvelous host in his beloved city. He worked tirelessly to provide us with an experience to remember.”
Dennis O'Donnell (University of Rochester), the 2010 Warren Berg Award recipient, added, “Jack's 2004 social program was the best that we have ever enjoyed—at least since 1984 when I joined the organization.”
Neumann's extensive CoSIDA committee service includes: College Division Management Council (2008-11), Site Selection for 13 years (1992-1999, 2001-05), Program Committee for the 2005-2012 Conventions and the Special Awards Committee (since 2006). He is the recipient of six CoSIDA publications awards, and has presented five papers and conducted four panels at various CoSIDA events since 1985. St. Louis will mark his 27th CoSIDA Convention.
In Canada, Neumann was active in the formation of the Association of Canadian University Sports Information Directors (ACUSID) in 1980; he then served as its Vice-President (1982-83) and President (1983-84). In 2004, he helped to organize a major national conference of Canadian SIDs in Calgary in conjunction with the CoSIDA convention.
“Jack is the loudest one-man band I've ever met,” said Allan Maki, a veteran Calgary-based columnist with The Globe and Mail. “As an SID, he would call constantly with story ideas, using the power of personal conversation to generate more coverage for university sports. He's a 'hands on, people-person' who doesn't hide his enthusiasm for what he's doing. But he always puts the school, the Dinos teams and the student-athletes first; it's never about him.”
In Calgary, Neumann has received numerous university and community recognition awards, including: the University of Calgary Dinos Football 5th Quarter Distinguished Service Award (2000), the Order of the University of Calgary (2005) for outstanding contribution to the university over a period of time -- the first individual from Athletics to receive such recognition, an Alberta Sports Hall of Fame Special Achievement Award (2006) and the University of Calgary Distinguished Football Alumni Award (2008, the only time the award has not been given to a former player). The University of Calgary has an endowed athletic scholarship in his name.
A plaque in his honor has been placed outside the entrance to main seating area in McMahon Stadium Press Box in recognition of his 30 years' service to covering university football and his contribution as a reporter for the games of the Canadian Football League's Calgary Stampeders.
A native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and a double graduate of his hometown University of Saskatchewan with degrees in Commerce (1969) and Economics (1970), Neumann was employed as a revenue accountant in the oil industry before joining the University of Calgary.
“When I saw how much enthusiasm he brought to a volunteer PR role with a local junior hockey team,” said Kadatz, “it didn't matter that he had no prior experience in university sport; he was clearly the best person for the job.”
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