MORRISTOWN, NJ, Oct. 24, 2006 – From its nationwide network of 120 chapters and 12,000 members, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) announced today the selection of five exceptional individuals as the recipients of its 2006 Chapter Leadership Awards.
2006 Chapter Leadership Award Recipients
• Michael Fraser – West Region – (Utah Chapter)
• Kenneth F. Mills, Jr. – East Region - (Baltimore Chapter)
• Paul Moran – Midwest Region - (West Virginia Chapter)
• Richard Ranucci – Northeast - (Central New York Chapter)
• Robert M. Sullins – South Region - (Middle Tennessee Chapter)
The Chapter Leadership Awards annually recognize five individuals, one from each region, for their commitment, generosity and leadership at the local level. The NFF Chapter Leadership Award winners have dedicated themselves to fulfilling the NFF’s mission of promoting the game of amateur football and its benefits to America’s youth. From scholar-athlete banquets to youth clinics to coaching academies, each of these honorees leads a devoted effort that touches the lives of countless youth, high school and collegiate football players each year.
“These five honorees represent the best of our efforts by all our chapter presidents to maintain a strong presence at the grassroots level,” said NFF President Steven J. Hatchell. “The success of our chapter network could not survive without the commitment and leadership of these individuals. It’s our honor and responsibility to properly thank and honor them.”
The NFF chapters annually recognize close to 2,500 student-athletes with more than $800,000 in annual scholarships. These honorees have spearhead their chapter’s efforts in this important NFF initiative, selecting the recipients, securing funds for future scholarships, and staging events to promote the best at the high school level. Their efforts ensure that future generations of players are inspired to achieve on and off the field.
Each of the five leadership award winners will be honored during the NFF’s Chapter Awards Luncheon on Tuesday, December 5, 2006, at the Waldorf=Astoria in New York City. Later that evening, they will be recognized in front of a sold-out crowd as part of the NFF’s 49th Annual Awards Dinner, including the induction of the 2006 College Football Hall of Fame class and the presentation of the National Scholar-Athlete Awards. For more information, please call 800.486.1865 or visit www.footballfoundation.org.
MIKE FRASER
West Region
Utah Chapter
As a player, a coach and now an administrator, Fraser’s passion for the game of football and for Utah’s young athletes have earned him the respect of people across the state.
For 15 years, he headed the football program at Granger and Hunter High School, winning six regional championships and qualifying for the Final Four, four times. In the state of Utah, Fraser has become one of the winningest coaches in football, conquering 70 percent of his games. It is no surprise that he was a three-time High School Coach of the Year in Utah.
A former president of the Utah Coaches Association, he currently serves as the president of the NFF’s Utah Chapter. Since 1994, the Utah Chapter has awarded over $65,000 in scholarships, and during his presidency the Scholar-Leader-Athlete Awards Banquet has quickly become a hallmark in the state, drawing more than 500 people. Under Fraser’s leadership, the chapter annually hosts four coaching academies, further strengthening its direct ties to Utah’s high schools and universities, and a golf tournament to raise scholarship money.
“To award high school student-athletes that are not only brilliant but tremendous athletes, and who are well deserved of such an honor, is something that I truly treasure,” said Mike Fraser.
Fraser attended the University of Utah on an academic scholarship, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree. His interest in teaching inspired him to pursue a Masters in Education from Utah as well as an EDS degree from Utah State.
A three-year starter as a running back and defensive back in high school, he learned the intangibles of the game and what it took for a team to be successful.
“Mike Fraser is a highly motivated self-starter, always going the extra distance for success,” said Chris Pella of the Utah Chapter. “He’s not a nine-to-five type of guy.”
In 1996, Fraser made a move from coach to administrator, becoming principal at Hunter High School. Fraser is now in his fourth year as executive director of human resources for the Granite School District in Utah. He and his wife, Janet, have two sons.
KENNETH F. MILLS, JR.
East Region
Greater Baltimore Chapter
From early on in his life, Ken Mills stood out as an individual destined to make an impact, and as the president of the NFF Greater Baltimore Chapter, he has found a powerful venue for highlighting the good in the game.
As the leader of a chapter founded in 1961, Mills works tirelessly with his team to promote amateur football in the city of Baltimore and the surrounding counties. The chapter boasts one of the largest banquets in the country, annually drawing more than 1,200 people, and since 1964, the chapter has honored over 2,800 student-athletes with more than $230,000 in scholarships. The chapter also actively supports the Play it Smart program, currently at three high schools in the city, as well as an NFL/NFF Coaching Academy, which they run in partnership with the Baltimore Ravens.
Mills graduated from Johns Hopkins in 1979 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. While at Hopkins, he started all four years for the Blue Jays at either defensive back or outside linebacker. His senior year he was selected captain, and he received the team’s leadership award for his commitment and dedication. He also holds an MBA from the University of North Carolina, where he worked as a graduate assistant with the school’s national championship lacrosse program.
“Personally and professionally, I feel I have gained much from the values that I learned by playing football, as well as the lifelong friendships that germinated on the playing fields of my past,” Mills said.
In an effort to give back, Mills decided to help found Blue Jays Unlimited, the Johns Hopkins athletics fund-raising and alumni organization, which is dedicated to enhancing the student-athlete experience at Hopkins, and he served as the organization’s first president.
Currently, Mills works as vice president of business development for Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse, Inc., a growing real estate and development company in Baltimore and the surrounding region. With a penchant for working for companies known for their record of community service, Mills has been responsible for several large-scale projects, including a Maryland District Court facility, construction of three public schools and management of a $27 million bond refinancing.
Mills belongs to numerous civic and local organizations, including the Greater Baltimore Committee’s Leadership Program, the Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church and Towson YMCA. He and his wife, Elena, have four children.
PAUL K. MORAN
Midwest Region
The Don Nehlen/West Virginia Chapter
In less than ten years, Paul Moran has played a critical role in launching a chapter in the Mountain State that annually presents $5,000 in scholarships to outstanding student-athletes who have distinguished themselves on and off the gridiron.
Under Moran’s leadership, the chapter decided to honor 2005 College Football Hall of Fame inductee Don Nehlen, the legendary coach at West Virginia for 21 years, by renaming the chapter in his honor last spring. In addition to the scholar-athlete banquet, where West Virginia natives Bob and Steve Simms have endowed a scholarship, the chapter also sponsors an all-star game.
“ He has offered leadership, organization and discipline in building the NFF in West Virginia,” said Bill Donahoe, Moran’s longtime friend. “His ability to delegate is outstanding.”
A graduate of Central Connecticut State University, Moran played defensive tackle for the Blue Devils during a two-year period when only three games were lost. After receiving his B.A. in history in 1968, he continued his education, earning his certification in physical education from the University of Connecticut.
He then began an 11-year coaching career by returning to Central Connecticut as a defensive line coach, followed by stints at the University of Connecticut, the University of Kentucky, Rutgers University and at West Virginia, working for 2006 College Football Hall of Fame inductee Bobby Bowden.
Moran currently works as an executive in the coal industry with a focus on the production side of the business. His tenure in the industry includes work for the Princess Beverly Coal Company and several other companies, including Wolf Pen in Pikeville, Kentucky. He is also president of the West Virginia State Golf Association. Moran has two daughters with his late wife and is remarried to Ann Casto. He resides in Charleston, West Virginia.
RICHARD T. RANUCCI
Northeast Region
Central New York Chapter
Seen as an inspiration to all whom cross his path, Rick Ranucci offers an undeniable enthusiasm for the game of football. He has been described as the driving force behind the Central New York Chapter.
As the chapter’s secretary/treasurer and a founding member, Ranucci has dedicated himself to one of the most successful chapters in the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame. Since its inception in 2001, the Central New York Chapter has achieved extraordinary success in fund-raising and membership.
The chapter holds its scholar-athlete dinner, awarding over $20,000 in scholarships to 50 high school scholar-athletes. In its short history of five years, the chapter has honored 308 scholar-athletes and granted 107 scholarships totaling over $58,500. Other chapter events include an NFL/NFF Coaching Academy, supporting the Play It Smart program George Fowler High School, a college night and a Kickoff Classic.
“Rick is the driving force behind many of the chapter’s initiatives,” said NFF Northeast Regional Coordinator Howie Vandersea. “He has taken his business and accounting skills, and applied them to the organization of the chapter.”
As a high school player, Ranucci earned nine varsity letters in football and wrestling, along with all-state honors and all-city honors as an offensive guard and linebacker. Upon graduation, he attended Lemoyne College, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting.
In 1979, Ranucci started as a junior accountant with Port and Company and worked his way up to partner in 1990. As a CPA and successful business leader, Ranucci leveraged his skills and work ethic to nurture the NFF’s Central New York Chapter’s meteoric development.
Ranucci also gives back to the game as a high school and college game official. During 31 years as an official, he has worked with the Ivy and Patriot Leagues, including NCAA and ECAC playoff games and the 138th meeting of Lafayette College and Lehigh University. He currently serves as a director of the Eastern Association Independent Football Officials (EAIFO).
In all aspects of life, Ranucci exhibits a passion for excellence and success, quickly building the Central New York Chapter into the second-largest chapter in the Northeast Region. Rick and his wife Becky reside in Fayetteville, N.Y., and have one daughter, Hilary.
ROBERT M. SULLINS
South Region
Middle Tennessee Chapter
Robert M. Sullins heads one of the most respected and oldest branches of the NFF in the country, with passion and charisma that enables him to carry on the rich traditions of the Middle Tennessee Chapter.
Established in 1961, the chapter’s spring awards banquet annually honors 32 high school seniors and seven collegiate scholar-athletes while presenting the Fred Russell Distinguished American Award and the Roy Kramer Contribution to Football Award. The chapter also takes an active role in supporting the Play It Smart program at Stratford High School in East Nashville and running an NFL/NFF Coaching Academy in conjunction with the Tennessee Titans.
“Robert Sullins has been a great leader by carrying on for the late Charles W. Hawkins III,” said Art Demmas, NFF regional coordinator for the South Region. “He has simply done a terrific job with continuing the tradition of the Middle Tennessee Chapter.”
Since taking the helm of the Middle Tennessee Chapter, Sullins has ensured that the chapter’s programs will continue to flourish. His passion for the game extends from his own experiences, which made him a legend in Commodore athletics at Vanderbilt. After earning a scholarship in 1961 as a running back, Sullins would start for three years. He was red-shirted in 1963 because of a broken leg, but he returned his senior year to score the game winning touchdown against Tennessee, earning him immortal status among the Commodores.
A first vice president and financial advisor with Smith Barney, Sullins plays an active role in the community as member of Brentwood United Methodist Church in Tennessee. He has held positions as president of the Downtown Nashville Rotary Club and chairman of the McKendree Village Retirement Center. He earned induction into the Huntsville Madison County Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.
Sullins resides in Brentwood, Tennessee, with his wife Nancy. They have two daughters, Stacy and Beth, and four grandchildren.
