U.S. Olympic Committee and Allstate Name Kevan Gosper as Recipient of Inaugural Olive Branch Achievement Award
August 06 2009 - 9:30AM
PR Newswire (US)
New International Award to Honor Individual who Best Represents
Ideals of Olympic Movement NORTHBROOK, Ill., Aug. 6 /PRNewswire/ --
Today, the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) and Allstate Insurance
Company (NYSE:ALL) announced Kevan Gosper as the recipient of the
inaugural Olive Branch Achievement Award, an international-themed
award created by the USOC and inspired by Allstate chairman,
president and chief executive officer Tom Wilson. The Olive Branch
Achievement Award annually honors an individual who best represents
the international ideals of the Olympic Movement by working to
build a peaceful and better world through sport. Gosper first
stepped onto the Olympic stage in 1956 when he won a silver medal
with the Australian team in the 4x400-meter relay at the Melbourne
Games. Over the years, he's remained passionate about sport and the
Olympic Ideals, serving as a member of the International Olympic
Committee (IOC). He is one of only six current IOC members who have
served for three or more decades. "The Olympic Games do more than
bring great athletes together in competition; they bring all of us
together in search for a more unified world," said Wilson. "Kevan
Gosper embodies this effort, having inspired generations through
his work with the International Olympic Committee empowering the
global community. He is a role model and a leader. Allstate is
proud to honor him with the inaugural Olive Branch Achievement
Award." In conjunction with his IOC positions, Gosper remained
active in the Australian sports landscape through the years,
serving as Chairman of the Australian Institute of Sport, President
of the Australian Olympic Federation and Vice President of the
Sydney Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games, among others.
Earlier this year, he stepped down after 20 years as President of
the Oceania National Olympic Committees. "The USOC is excited to
present the Olive Branch Achievement Award to a legend who has
successfully helped unite all nations through the peace and
friendship of the Olympic Movement," said USOC Chairman Larry
Probst. "Kevan Gosper is deserving of this honor for the imprint he
has left on the Olympic Movement and for his continued service in
carrying out the Olympic Ideals throughout the world. We are also
pleased to continue to partner with Allstate, a company that shares
our commitment to the Olympic spirit." Gosper will be formally
honored for his decades of dedication to the Olympic Movement
August 12 at McCormick Place in Chicago during the U.S. Olympic
Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony presented by Allstate, a
banquet-style event that honors the Class of 2009. The legendary
inductees who will be honored at the ceremony include: Teresa
Edwards (basketball), Michael Johnson (athletics), Mary T. Meagher
(swimming), Picabo Street (alpine skiing), Willye White
(athletics), Sarah Will (Paralympic alpine skiing), the 1992 U.S.
Men's Olympic Basketball Team, skiing veteran Andrea Mead Lawrence,
longtime gymnastics coach Abie Grossfeld and special contributor
Peter V. Ueberroth. Special presenters for the evening include:
three-time Olympic gold medalist and current University of South
Carolina women's head basketball coach Dawn Staley; Olympic hurdles
legend and 1985 Hall of Fame inductee Edwin Moses; Mike Plant,
Atlanta Braves Executive Vice President, USOC Board member, 1980
speedskating Olympian and husband to Meagher; three-time Olympic
skier and Hall of Fame member Phil Mahre; Bob Beamon, who made
Olympic history in the long jump and was inducted into the Hall's
inaugural class; former U.S. Disabled Alpine Ski Team head coach
Kevin Jardine; 2008 Olympic gold medalist and NBA star Chris Paul
(New Orleans Hornets); five-time Olympic speedskating gold medalist
and 2004 inductee Bonnie Blair; Peter Vidmar, member of the gold
medal winning 1984 U.S. Men's Olympic Gymnastics Team, Chairman of
USA Gymnastics and inductee with the Class of 1991; and Priscilla
Florence, former Vice President with the Los Angeles Olympic
Organizing Committee. Actor and Allstate spokesperson Dennis
Haysbert will be part of the introduction of Gosper. The Hall of
Fame Induction Ceremony, hosted by NBC Olympics Broadcaster Dan
Hicks and Olympic swimmer Summer Sanders, will air in a
nationally-televised broadcast on NBC on Sept. 5 at 2 p.m. ET.
Tables and tickets for the induction ceremony may be purchased
online at support.chicago2016.org/halloffame. About the 2009
Recipient of the Olive Branch Achievement Award Following his
athletic career Gosper went on to become Chairman and CEO of Shell
Oil Australia and later Chief Commissioner of the City of
Melbourne. At the same time, Gosper remained passionate about sport
and the Olympic Ideals. In 1977, Gosper was elected a member of the
International Olympic Committee. He is one of only six current IOC
members who have served for three or more decades. His roles with
the IOC have included membership on the Executive Board, Vice
President, and Vice Chairman of the Olympic Solidarity Commission,
along with several other commissions on ethics, reform and media
coordination. Since 1988, he has been part of the IOC Press
Commission, working as Chairman since 1989. Last year in Beijing,
he made media coverage of the Games a priority, working to ensure
proper access and accuracy. About the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame The
charter class of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame was enshrined in
1983, with such Olympic legends as Cassius Clay, Peggy Fleming,
Jesse Owens, Wilma Rudolph, Mark Spitz, and the 1980 "Miracle on
Ice" U.S. Olympic Men's Hockey Team. Annual additions continued
through 1992, adding Olympic legends such as Bart Conner, Dorothy
Hamill, "Sugar Ray" Leonard, Carl Lewis, Greg Louganis, and Mary
Lou Retton. In becoming the presenting sponsor of the induction
ceremony, Allstate sparked the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame's
revitalization in 2004. During the company's five-year tenure as a
partner, the Hall of Fame has inducted numerous decorated Olympic
athletes including: Bonnie Blair, Janet Evans, Florence Griffith
Joyner, Dan Jansen, Kristi Yamaguchi, and the 1996 "Magnificent
Seven" U.S. Women's Gymnastics Team. Following last June's
induction of the Class of 2008, the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame
currently consists of 213 distinguished athletes and 13 special
contributors. About Allstate The Allstate Corporation (NYSE:ALL) is
the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Widely
known through the "You're In Good Hands With Allstate " slogan,
Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to help more than
17 million households insure what they have today and better
prepare for tomorrow. Consumers access Allstate insurance products
and services through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and
Allstate exclusive financial representatives in the U.S. and
Canada, as well as via http://www.allstate.com/ and 1-800 Allstate
. About the USOC The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) is
recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the sole
entity in the United States whose mission involves training,
entering and underwriting the full expenses for the U.S. teams in
the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games.
In addition to being the steward of the U.S. Olympic Movement, the
USOC is the moving force for support of sports in the United States
that are on the program of the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American
and Parapan American Games. DATASOURCE: Allstate CONTACT: Raleigh
Floyd of Allstate, +1-847-402-5600; or Bates Grainger of Taylor,
+1-704-548-8556, for Allstate; or Nicole Saunches of USOC,
+1-719-866-2236 Web Site: http://myallstatefinancial.com/
http://www.allstate.com/
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