MORRISTOWN, N.J. – Dec. 10, 2004 – Jon F. Hanson, Chairman of The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF), announced today that NFF President Robert F. Casciola will step down in early February. Steven J. Hatchell, the current commissioner of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), has been named the next president of the NFF.
"I have always looked at Bob as a partner and thank him for everything he has accomplished for the Foundation. Our organization has benefited immensely from his leadership and vision," said Chairman Hanson. "After an extensive search, we identified Steve Hatchell as an exceptionally qualified individual with a strong background in athletics administration to guide our organization."
In early January, Casciola will hand Hatchell the presidency of an organization with more than 13,000 members and 119 chapters. During Casciola’s 14-year stewardship, the Foundation launched several major initiatives, including the building of a new $15 million College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., the securing of nearly $20 million for its Play It Smart program, and the development and implementation of the NFL/NFF Coaching Academy, which annually educates over 10,000 youth coaches.
"For many years, I have watched the NFF pursue its mission of promoting the great game of football and its unique ability to strengthen America’s youth," said Steve Hatchell. "Under the leadership of Jon Hanson and Bob Casciola, the organization has made a dramatic impact on our country. It is a great opportunity for me to join a team that plays such an important role in preserving the rich traditions of amateur football."
As commissioner of the PRCA, Hatchell oversees PRCA Properties Inc., the ProRodeo Hall of Fame and the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund. Prior to leading the PRCA, Hatchell held many prestigious jobs in sports, including serving as commissioner of the Big 12 Conference, the Southwest Conference, the Metropolitan Collegiate Athletic Conference, executive director of the Federal Express Orange Bowl and working with the U.S. Olympic Committee. Steve also served as the chairman of the Power of One, which was a promotional initiative of the NCAA to combine the marketing resources of collegiate sports into a unified force, and her served as the chairman of the Bowl Association for six years. Hatchell graduated from CU with a journalism degree in 1970. Hatchell is married and has two sons.
The recognized leader in professional rodeo, PRCA ProRodeo showcases the world's best cowboys in its premier events, the Wrangler ProRodeo Tour and its Pace Series championship events, PRCA Xtreme Bulls and the world-renowned Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. The PRCA sanctions nearly 700 rodeos annually, which draw nearly 24 million attendees. Each year, PRCA-sanctioned rodeos raise more than $26 million for local and national charities. Action from PRCA-sanctioned rodeos and its premier events appear on CBS, ESPN, ESPN2 and Outdoor Life Network (OLN). For more information, visit www.prorodeo.com. The PRCA, headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo., is a membership-based organization.
With 119 chapters and over 13,000 members nationwide, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in America’s young people. NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., PLAY IT SMART, The NFF Center for Youth Development Through Sport at Springfield College (Mass.), the NFL-NFF Coaching Academy, and annual scholarships of nearly $1 million for College and High School Scholar-Athletes. Learn more at www.footballfoundation.org.
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