Rob LeMarr -Valley of the Sun Board Member
The Valley of the Sun Chapter is excited to announce our newest addition to our board. We honored to have him on our team.
Larry Kentera -Board Member
Congratulations to NFF Board Member & Coach Larry Kentera on being inducted into the Arizona State University Sports Hall of Fame!
BOARD NEWS: Kevin Rowe - Valley of the Sun Board Member
Lerner and Rowe Gives Back, a non-profit foundation established by Kevin Rowe, managing partner of the Lerner and Rowe law offices, announced they are a proud sponsor of the Valley of the Sun Chapter of the National Football Foundation (NFF). Kevin Rowe, Esquire, also serves as a Board Member for the NFF Valley of the Sun Chapter. The non-profit football foundation believes in recognizing academic and athletic excellence at the college, high school and youth levels and conducting programs that further the character-building qualities practiced within the team sport of football. Both foundations seek to improve and contribute positive changes to the communities where their volunteers and members live, work and play. “The NFF Valley of the Sun Chapter’s Board of Directors created a scholarship fund to acknowledge the academic and leadership achievements of high school seniors,” said Lerner and Rowe Gives Back founder, Kevin Rowe, Esq. “It’s great to be part of an organization that actively supports and encourages positive self-development in student athletes from grade school through college.” Full Press Release
Fiesta Bowl Charities Donates to Valley of the Sun Chapter
The Valley of the Sun Chapter (VOTS) of the non-profit National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame was honored today among 25 Arizona-based charities and received a significant contribution from Fiesta Bowl Charities. The award ceremony took place at the Ziegler Fiesta Bowl Museum in Scottsdale, Ariz. This past spring the VOTS staged its 31st annual banquet to present scholarship support to and honor 52 of the best and brightest scholar-athletes from the Phoenix and northern Arizona areas.
“This gracious donation from the Fiesta Bowl will go directly into our scholarship fund as we continue to honor high school and college (for post-graduate study) scholar-athletes, not only for their excellence on the gridiron but especially for their accomplishments in the
classroom and in giving back to their communities,” said VOTS president Janie Riddle. “We are very grateful for more than a decade of support from the Fiesta
Bowl, which has been a presenting sponsor of our banquet during that time, as we continue a 32-year tradition of honoring the youth of today, who will be our
future leaders of tomorrow.”
The 32nd Valley of the Sun Chapter Scholar-Athlete Banquet will take place at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort on Saturday evening, March 2, 2013.
Dr. Robert Shelton, executive director of the Fiesta Bowl complimented the VOTS chapter by saying, “You at the Foundation do such a good job, so youngsters can
get a good start in life.” He added a personal note by saying, “It’s a priority of mine. I couldn’t have gone to college without a scholarship.”
“This gracious donation from the Fiesta Bowl will go directly into our scholarship fund as we continue to honor high school and college (for post-graduate study) scholar-athletes, not only for their excellence on the gridiron but especially for their accomplishments in the
classroom and in giving back to their communities,” said VOTS president Janie Riddle. “We are very grateful for more than a decade of support from the Fiesta
Bowl, which has been a presenting sponsor of our banquet during that time, as we continue a 32-year tradition of honoring the youth of today, who will be our
future leaders of tomorrow.”
The 32nd Valley of the Sun Chapter Scholar-Athlete Banquet will take place at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort on Saturday evening, March 2, 2013.
Dr. Robert Shelton, executive director of the Fiesta Bowl complimented the VOTS chapter by saying, “You at the Foundation do such a good job, so youngsters can
get a good start in life.” He added a personal note by saying, “It’s a priority of mine. I couldn’t have gone to college without a scholarship.”
2012 NFF VALLEY OF THE SUN GOLF CLASSIC IS HERE!
2012 NFF Valley of the Sun Golf Classic is Monday, September 10, 2012 at Orange Tree Golf Club. If you would like a brochure or sponsorship information emailed
to you: aznff@onairsportsmarketing.com
to you: aznff@onairsportsmarketing.com
Mike Muraco aka “Roc” Named Executive Director of Valley National Football Foundation Chapter
MIKE MURACO NAMED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF VALLEY NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION CHAPTER
Contact: Bob Boyles (602) 345-1809
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
PHOENIX--The directors of the Valley of the Sun chapter of the charitable National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame (NFF) have announced the election of Mike “Roc” Muraco as the board’s new executive director. Muraco, president of On-Air Sports Marketing and vice president of The Labrador Group Ad Agency, has served on the chapter’s advisory board for more than a decade as well as volunteering for the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and Insight Bowl committees and other Phoenix area charities.
“Fund raising has been challenging for all charitable organizations in recent years,” said Janie Riddle, president of the Valley of the Sun chapter, “and we know Roc’s remarkable combination of energy and sports marketing experience will make him a great representative of our Valley of the Sun chapter.”
A native of Turnersville, N.J., Muraco is a 1990 B.A. graduate in Sports Industry and earned a Masters in Sports Administration in 1992, each degree from Ohio University. Mike brings 25 years experience in professional and collegiate athletics with the Phoenix Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts, NFL Properties, Arizona Fall League, Phoenix Firebirds, Oakland A’s, and the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to working in sports, he has earned valuable experience in sales and marketing while consulting with KTVK-Channel 3 and KASW-WB 61.
Muraco has co-hosted “Calling All Sports with Roc and Manuch” since 2004 and the “Arizona Sports Business Report” since 2009. Both radio programs continue to be featured on The Fan AM 1060.
Muraco succeeds his afternoon drive-time radio partner, Dan Manucci, as NFF Valley of the Sun executive director, and Manucci was instrumental in leading Mike to take on the challenging position.
“I know the foundation of a great 41-year-old organization is already here,” said Muraco of the Valley chapter.
“Thanks to the leadership of people like Frank Kush, Lew Shaw, Bill and Janie Riddle, Tom Taradash, and Dan Manucci, the chapter has worked very hard to provide college scholarship support to nearly a thousand youngsters who have excelled in the classroom and community as well as the football field.
“Now, I feel it is time to raise our group to another level, and I’m excited to get started. To put it in football terms, we have great blockers and tacklers, and I believe we are headed to greatness.”
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur, legendary West Point coach Earl “Red” Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship, and athletic achievement in young people. With 121 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame, the NFF Scholar-Athlete Awards, presented by Fidelity Investments, Play It Smart, the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Alumni Association, and scholarships of more than $1.3 million for college and high school scholar-athletes.
To get involved with the Valley of the Sun Chapter of the National Football Foundation – email mike@onairsportsmarketing.com and head to www.aznff.org
Contact: Bob Boyles (602) 345-1809
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
PHOENIX--The directors of the Valley of the Sun chapter of the charitable National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame (NFF) have announced the election of Mike “Roc” Muraco as the board’s new executive director. Muraco, president of On-Air Sports Marketing and vice president of The Labrador Group Ad Agency, has served on the chapter’s advisory board for more than a decade as well as volunteering for the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and Insight Bowl committees and other Phoenix area charities.
“Fund raising has been challenging for all charitable organizations in recent years,” said Janie Riddle, president of the Valley of the Sun chapter, “and we know Roc’s remarkable combination of energy and sports marketing experience will make him a great representative of our Valley of the Sun chapter.”
A native of Turnersville, N.J., Muraco is a 1990 B.A. graduate in Sports Industry and earned a Masters in Sports Administration in 1992, each degree from Ohio University. Mike brings 25 years experience in professional and collegiate athletics with the Phoenix Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts, NFL Properties, Arizona Fall League, Phoenix Firebirds, Oakland A’s, and the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to working in sports, he has earned valuable experience in sales and marketing while consulting with KTVK-Channel 3 and KASW-WB 61.
Muraco has co-hosted “Calling All Sports with Roc and Manuch” since 2004 and the “Arizona Sports Business Report” since 2009. Both radio programs continue to be featured on The Fan AM 1060.
Muraco succeeds his afternoon drive-time radio partner, Dan Manucci, as NFF Valley of the Sun executive director, and Manucci was instrumental in leading Mike to take on the challenging position.
“I know the foundation of a great 41-year-old organization is already here,” said Muraco of the Valley chapter.
“Thanks to the leadership of people like Frank Kush, Lew Shaw, Bill and Janie Riddle, Tom Taradash, and Dan Manucci, the chapter has worked very hard to provide college scholarship support to nearly a thousand youngsters who have excelled in the classroom and community as well as the football field.
“Now, I feel it is time to raise our group to another level, and I’m excited to get started. To put it in football terms, we have great blockers and tacklers, and I believe we are headed to greatness.”
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur, legendary West Point coach Earl “Red” Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship, and athletic achievement in young people. With 121 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame, the NFF Scholar-Athlete Awards, presented by Fidelity Investments, Play It Smart, the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Alumni Association, and scholarships of more than $1.3 million for college and high school scholar-athletes.
To get involved with the Valley of the Sun Chapter of the National Football Foundation – email mike@onairsportsmarketing.com and head to www.aznff.org
