Below, see the schedule of the 2012 Special Award recipient feature stories which will be written by CoSIDA members throughout the spring. The
full slate of 2012 Special Awards was announced March 2. All awards will be presented during the 2012 CoSIDA Convention in St. Louis (June 23-26).
• Individual feature story schedule for 2012 Special Awards
• CoSIDA St. Louis Convention awards presentation schedule
Jack Neumann - 2012 Warren Berg Award recipient
by Paul Carson, former University of Toronto Sports Information Director
List of previous Warren Berg Award recipients
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.”
Individual recipient feature story schedule for 2012 Special Awards
General 2012 Special Awards release
March
Mon., 5: Kim Wenger (Centennial Conference): Rising Star Award (College Division) – by Ann King (The Sage Colleges)
Wed, 7: Malcolm Moran: Jake Wade Award: by Joe Hornstein, CoSIDA 2nd Vice President
Fri., 9: Maurice Williams (Hampton University): Rising Star Award (University Division) – by Ed Hill, Jr. (Howard University)
Mon. 12: Bernie Cafarelli (Notre Dame): 25-Year Award - by Debbie White (Old Dominion)
Wed. 14: Peter Schlehr (Towson University): Lifetime Achievement Award – by Ann King (The Sage Colleges)
Fri. 16: Debbie Copp (University of Oklahoma): CoSIDA Hall of Fame - by Ann King (The Sage Colleges)
Mon. 19: Chuck Sadowski (University of Bridgeport): 25-Year Award - by Ann King (The Sage Colleges)
Wed. 21: Bob Condron (USOC): Lifetime Achievement Award and Keith Jackson Eternal Flame Award - by Mike Mahon, former Drake & South Dakota SID
Fri. 23: Jack Neumann (University of Calgary): Warren Berg Award - by Paul Carson, former University of Toronto SID
Mon. 26: John Lewandowki (Michigan State): 25-Year Award
Wed. 28: Kennan Timm (Wisconsin-Oshkosh): CoSIDA Hall of Fame
April
Mon., 2: Tom Di Camillo (Pac West Conference, Central Arizona College): CoSIDA Hall of Fame
Wed., 4: Dave Wohlhueter (CoSIDA treasurer, Cornell-retired): Lester Jordan Award
Fri., 6: B.L. Efring (Southern Maine): 25-Year Award
Mon., 9: Lawrence Fan (San Jose State): CoSIDA Hall of Fame and Arch Ward Award
Wed., 11: Sue Edson (Syracuse): CoSIDA Hall of Fame
Fri., 13: Mark Bankert (Malone University): 25-Year Award
Mon., 16: Joe Dier (Mississippi State): 25-Year Award
Wed., 18: Rich Herman (Clarion): Bob Kenworthy Award
Fri., 20: Shirley Jones Hill (Southern Mississippi): 25-Year Award
Mon., 23: Shelly Poe (Ohio State): Trailblazer Award
Wed., 25: Michael MacEachern (Young Harris College): 25-Year Award
Fri. 27: Roy Pickerill (Kentucky Wesleyan): 25-Year Award
Mon., 30: Bob Noss (Wright State): 25-Year Award
May
Wed., 2: Wallace Dooley (formerly of Tennessee State): Lifetime Achievement Award
Fri., 4: Jeff Nelson (Penn State): Bill Esposito Award
Mon., 7: Bill Turnage (Florida Southern): Lifetime Achievement Award
Wed., 9: Herb Vincent (LSU): 25-Year Award
Fri., 11: Mike Mahon (formerly of Drake & South Dakota): Lifetime Achievement Award
Mon., 14: Bill Wagner (DePauw): 25-Year Award
Wed., 16: Fred Huff (formerly of Southern Illinois-Carbondale): CoSIDA Hall of Fame [Veteran Award Committee recipient]
Fri., 18: Phil Haddy (University of Iowa): Lifetime Achievement Award
Mon., 21: Dave Geringer (University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth): 25-Year Award
Wed., 23: Charles "Chuck" Prophet (deceased; formerly of Mississippi Valley State): CoSIDA Hall of Fame
Fri., 25: Robert Wilson (Florida State): 25-Year Award
Awards to be presented during CoSIDA St. Louis Convention, St. Louis, Missouri
Sunday, June 24: Kickoff Luncheon
Awards presented: 25-Year Awards; Trailblazer, Kenworthy Community Service, Rising Star (University and College Divisions), Keith Jackson honors
Monday, June 25: (two award presentations)
CoSIDA Hall of Fame luncheon
Awards presented: Esposito, Lifetime Achievement, CoSIDA Hall of Fame awards
Capital One Special Awards Gala (dinner/ceremony)
Awards presented: Arch Ward, Warren Berg, Jake Wade, Lester Jordan, Enberg awards; Capital One Academic All-America® Hall of Fame induction