HOUSTON – April 20, 2013– The Rotary Lombardi Award announces the
date of their Award presentation. The 44th Rotary Lombardi Award will be
presented on Wednesday, December 11, 2013 at the beautiful Wortham
Center in Houston, Texas. The Rotary Lombardi Award will once again be
presented during a live national prime time television broadcast.

The Rotary Lombardi Award is hosted by the Rotary Club of Houston and
raises money for the fight against cancer. The Rotary Club initiated the
award in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi to cancer.

The Rotary Lombardi Award goes annually to the college football lineman
— offense or defense — who, in addition to outstanding performance and
ability, best exemplifies the discipline of Vince Lombardi. As the legendary
coach of the Green Bay Packers, Lombardi first made a name for himself as
the smallest but toughest member of Fordham University’s “Seven Blocks of
Granite,” renowned in their day (1934-37) for being the most unyielding line
in college football.

Every year four finalists come to Houston to celebrate their personal success
on the gridiron and to lend their names to the fight against cancer. One of the
highlights and most enduring events for the finalists are visits to local
children’s cancer hospitals to meet kids courageously fighting cancer.

Since 1970, millions has been raised to fund cancer research, public
education and direct services to cancer patients.

“I am not sure the Rotary Club has ever had four better qualified candidates to receive this prestigious award, but the voters felt Manti Te’o best exhibited the qualities of Coach Lombardi for his courage, determination and leadership,” said Rick Slemaker, the national chairman of the Rotary Lombardi Award committee. “I simply want to thank these remarkable young men and their coaches for helping renew this incredible college football tradition and help save lives in the process.”

Manti Te’o, a senior at the University of Notre Dame, is one of the most decorated players in the history of the university. He leads the Fighting Irish with 103 tackles and is only the second Notre Dame player to get at least 100 tackles in three consecutive seasons. Te’o has started 48 career games, including each of the last 47 games. This is the longest streak of any linebacker in the country. Te’o has had seven interceptions this season and he set a school single-season record for most interceptions by a linebacker. He generated nine total turnovers which is a tie for the most of any FBS player.

Te’o is a first team All-American, a National Scholar-Athlete and a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. He is a recent winner of the ARA Sportsman, Nagurski and Butkus awards. He is a finalist for the Walter Camp, Maxwell and Bednarik awards as well as the Lott Trophy. Additionally, he was one of the finalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy.

The Rotary Lombardi Award televised announcement was the culmination of two days of community outreach and networking events. The players, along with the reigning Ms. Texas USA Ali Nugent, visited Cullen Middle School to talk about their individual journeys and to inspire the 6^th graders to stay in school.

The finalists visited the Texas Children’s Hematology and Cancer Center and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center to talk with children and their families who are displaying courage in the face of great human struggles. Finally, they met with business and community leaders at the Energy and VIP receptions whose generosity is helping to fund the war against cancer.

The evening of the Rotary Lombardi Award announcement began at 5 p.m. CST with a star-studded red carpet. The red carpet arrivals included Coach Brian Kelly of the University of Notre Dame, former Green Bay Packer great Jerry Kramer, Coach Kevin Sumlin of Texas A&M University, coaching legend from the University of Nebraska Tom Osborne, young patients from the Front Line Kids, and Houston’s Mayor Annise Parker.

The telecast was carried live nationally on the CBS Sports Network.

Rotary Lombardi Award

The Rotary Lombardi Award helps sustain the legacy of Coach Vince Lombardi by recognizing excellence both on and off the football field. Established in 1970, The Rotary Lombardi Award has raised millions of dollars to support cancer research, education and direct services to cancer patients. The award embodies the Rotary tradition of service above self as well as the ideals of Vince Lombardi.

National College Football Awards Association:

The Rotary Lombardi Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of the game’s predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients. For more information, visit the association’s official website, www.NCFAA.org.

Rotary Lombardi Award Contacts:

Rick Slemaker, Programs Chairperson

Steve Vetrano, Administration and Finance Chairperson

chair@rotarylombardiaward.org

(713) 973-9936

Yvette Scheiber, Public Relations Chairperson

pr@rotarylombardiaward.org

(713) 973-9936

www.rotarylombardiaward.org

Established in 1970, the annual award honors collegiate lineman who display courage, character and team spirit on and off the gridiron. This year’s Rotary Lombardi Award will be presented on December 5^th at Houston’s Hobby Center and telecast nationally on the CBS Sports Network (check local listings).

“We are honored to be able to help sustain the legacy of Coach Lombardi by recognizing the singular leadership and talents of these outstanding players, and we extend our congratulations to all of our past winners and finalists who share in this legacy,” said Steve Vetrano, co-chair of the Rotary Lombardi Award, “We also want to thank everyone who played a part in supporting this year’s award process, and look forward to the announcement of our 2012 Rotary Lombardi Award winner. “

Established in 1970, the Rotary Lombardi Award has raised millions of dollars to support cancer research, public education and direct services to cancer patients. The Rotary Lombardi Award embodies the Rotary tradition of service above self and the ideals of Vince Lombardi.

About the Rotary Lombardi Award 2 Day Event:

The Rotary Lombardi Award announcement is a two-day event filled with life enriching activities for the players and the community. The players begin with an outreach event where they will be given the opportunity to interact with inner city children, along with representatives from the Texans and the community. The next day, they will be the honored guests at a luncheon and series of receptions where they will meet Houston business leaders and event sponsors. The two-day event ends with the Red Carpet arrival of the players and the announcement carried live on CBS Sports television.

For more information on the two-day schedule of events and ticket opportunities, please visit www.rotarylombardiaward.org and follow the March to Gridiron Greatness on Twitter at @RotaryLombardiAward and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rotary-Lombardi-Award/126108310763275.

National College Football Awards Association:

The Rotary Lombardi Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of the game’s predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients. For more information, visit the association’s official website, www.NCFAA.org.

Rotary Lombardi Award Contacts:

Rick Slemaker, Programs Chairperson

Steve Vetrano, Administration and Finance Chairperson

chair@rotarylombardiaward.org

(713) 973-9936

—–

Yvette Scheiber, Public Relations Chairperson

pr@rotarylombardiaward.org

(713) 973-9936

The Seven Blocks of Granite

Houston, October 31, 2012 - The Rotary Club of Houston today announced the collegiate football players who have been selected as this year’s “Seven Blocks of Granite” and, accordingly, are the seven semi-finalists for the 43^rd Rotary Lombardi Award.

The 43^rd Seven Blocks of Granite are:

The “Seven Blocks of Granite” was the immortal nickname given to Fordham University’s famous offensive lines of the 1930s, of which Vince Lombardi was a 1936 member. The semi-finalists for the Rotary Lombardi Award are similarly dubbed the seven blocks of granite.

The Rotary Lombardi Award committee will announce the four finalists on November 17, 2012.

About the Rotary Lombardi Award:

Established in 1970, the Rotary Lombardi Award has raised millions of dollars to help support cancer research, public education and direct services to cancer patients. The tradition of service about self – the Rotary motto – continues this year. The 43^rd Rotary Lombardi Award show will be held December 5, 2012, at the Hobby Center in Houston, Texas and is part of a two-day schedule of events.

For more information on the two-day schedule of events and ticket opportunities, please visit www.rotarylombardiaward.org and follow the March to Gridiron Greatness on Twitter at @RotaryLombardiAward and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rotary-Lombardi-Award/126108310763275.

National College Football Awards Association:

The Rotary Lombardi Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of the game’s predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients. For more information, visit the association’s official website, www.NCFAA.org.

Rotary Lombardi Award Contacts:
Rick Slemaker, Programs Chairperson
Steve Vetrano, Administration and Finance Chairperson
chair@rotarylombardiaward.org
Yvette Scheiber, Public Relations Chairperson
pr@rotarylombardiaward.org
www.rotarylombardiaward.org

Saturday, October 6, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Yvette Scheiber, Media Relations Director
pr@rotarylombardiaward.org or (713) 973-9936

2012 Rotary Lombardi Award Official Top 25

HOUSTON–  The Rotary Club of Houston today announced the 43rd Annual Rotary Lombardi Award Official Top 25. The Rotary Lombardi Award is given to the nation’s top college lineman or linebacker each year.

Last year’s 2011 Rotary Lombardi Award winner, Luke Kuechly (LB-Boston College) was drafted by the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Panthers with the 9th overall pick of the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft.

Other 2011 Rotary Lombardi finalists, Dont’a Hightower (LB – Alabama) was the overall 25th pick in the first round of the NFL draft by the New England Patriots; Courtney Upshaw, (OLB – Alabama) was the overall 35th pick by the Baltimore Ravens; Jonathan Martin (OT-Stanford) was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the Second round and the 42nd pick overall.”

For more information on the two-day schedule of events and ticket opportunities, please visit www.rotarylombardiaward.org.

Date: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

Time: 5:30-7:30pm

“Meet the Finalists” Energy Private Reception (Invitation Only Event) for Finalists, VIP guests, school representatives at The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. VIP Individual/Corporate tickets $5,000; $10,000; $15,000 and $25,000. Please request details to Lew Arend at LWArend@McKinleyArend.com –THIS EVENT IS ONLY OPEN TO PERSONS IN THE ENERGY INDUSTRY

“I am not sure the Rotary Club has ever had four better qualified candidates to receive this prestigious award, but the voters felt Manti Te’o best exhibited the qualities of Coach Lombardi for his courage, determination and leadership,” said Rick Slemaker, the national chairman of the Rotary Lombardi Award committee. “I simply want to thank these remarkable young men and their coaches for helping renew this incredible college football tradition and help save lives in the process.”

Manti Te’o, a senior at the University of Notre Dame, is one of the most decorated players in the history of the university. He leads the Fighting Irish with 103 tackles and is only the second Notre Dame player to get at least 100 tackles in three consecutive seasons. Te’o has started 48 career games, including each of the last 47 games. This is the longest streak of any linebacker in the country. Te’o has had seven interceptions this season and he set a school single-season record for most interceptions by a linebacker. He generated nine total turnovers which is a tie for the most of any FBS player.

Te’o is a first team All-American, a National Scholar-Athlete and a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. He is a recent winner of the ARA Sportsman, Nagurski and Butkus awards. He is a finalist for the Walter Camp, Maxwell and Bednarik awards as well as the Lott Trophy. Additionally, he was one of the finalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy.

The Rotary Lombardi Award televised announcement was the culmination of two days of community outreach and networking events. The players, along with the reigning Ms. Texas USA Ali Nugent, visited Cullen Middle School to talk about their individual journeys and to inspire the 6^th graders to stay in school.

The finalists visited the Texas Children’s Hematology and Cancer Center and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center to talk with children and their families who are displaying courage in the face of great human struggles. Finally, they met with business and community leaders at the Energy and VIP receptions whose generosity is helping to fund the war against cancer.

The evening of the Rotary Lombardi Award announcement began at 5 p.m. CST with a star-studded red carpet. The red carpet arrivals included Coach Brian Kelly of the University of Notre Dame, former Green Bay Packer great Jerry Kramer, Coach Kevin Sumlin of Texas A&M University, coaching legend from the University of Nebraska Tom Osborne, young patients from the Front Line Kids, and Houston’s Mayor Annise Parker.

The telecast was carried live nationally on the CBS Sports Network.

Rotary Lombardi Award

The Rotary Lombardi Award helps sustain the legacy of Coach Vince Lombardi by recognizing excellence both on and off the football field. Established in 1970, The Rotary Lombardi Award has raised millions of dollars to support cancer research, education and direct services to cancer patients. The award embodies the Rotary tradition of service above self as well as the ideals of Vince Lombardi.

National College Football Awards Association:

The Rotary Lombardi Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of the game’s predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients. For more information, visit the association’s official website, www.NCFAA.org.

Rotary Lombardi Award Contacts:

Rick Slemaker, Programs Chairperson

Steve Vetrano, Administration and Finance Chairperson

chair@rotarylombardiaward.org

(713) 973-9936

Yvette Scheiber, Public Relations Chairperson

pr@rotarylombardiaward.org

(713) 973-9936