IRVING, Texas (Jan. 8, 2014) – An internationally acclaimed pioneer in preventive medicine known as the “father of aerobics”, Kenneth H. Cooper, MD, MPH was inducted into the National Football Foundation Leadership Hall of Fame at a dinner held tonight at the Omni Dallas Hotel. The celebration – attended by Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman, former MLB American League Commissioner Bobby Brown, Baylor University President/Chancellor Ken Starr, Frito-Lay CEO Tom Greco, Mayor Mike Rawlings and other dignitaries – kicked off an array of events leading up to the College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship Game slated for January 12 at AT&T Stadium.
“Dr. Cooper ranks among the top visionaries in the history of the medical profession, and he has helped change the global culture, literally improving the lives of millions of people worldwide,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “His remarkable leadership skills and ability to inspire others represent the same set of traits learned on the football field, and we are extremely proud to induct him into the NFF Leadership Hall of Fame.”
Dr. Cooper’s induction marks the launch of a new tradition, and each year the NFF will stage an NFF Leadership Hall of Fame event in the host city of the title game.
Highlights of the program included Staubach and Aikman presenting Dr. Cooper his official Leadership Hall of Fame ring; President George W. Bush saluting Dr. Cooper via a special video message; the presentation to Dr. Cooper of a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol in his honor by Oklahoma Athletics Director and NFF Board Member Joe Castglione; and NFF Chairman Archie Manning and College Football Playoff Executive Director Bill Hancock providing the official welcomes. The emcee was Brad Sham, sports broadcaster and longtime “Voice of the Cowboys,” who was also presented the Blackie Sherrod Award for his outstanding achievements in broadcasting.
The men and women of Hunt Consolidated served as the Dinner Presenting Sponsor. The year’s honorary chairs included Toni and Boone Pickens, and the dinner co-chairmen included NFF Board Members and College Football Hall of Fame inductees Troy Aikman (UCLA), Roger Staubach (Navy) and his wife Marianne, current Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and his wife Micki, former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert and his wife Laura, and Manning and his wife Olivia.
"I'm humbled to receive such an honor from the National Football Foundation," says Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper, Founder & Chairman of Cooper Aerobics. "It is rewarding to be recognized for inspiring others to achieve their highest level of performance both on and off the field."
From coining the word "aerobics" in The Oxford English Dictionary, to introducing "coopering" as the term for jogging in Brazil, to the removal of trans-fats from Frito-Lay products, Dr. Cooper's message of exercising for good health has reached those home and abroad. Dr. Cooper, who briefly played football in high school, has made his biggest impact on the football community with his ground-breaking research and preventive medicine teachings. Through his work with Cooper Aerobics and The Cooper Institute, Dr. Cooper has worked closely with many football legends, helping them make a lasting impact for optimum health and fitness at every stage of life.
“Our entire nation owes Dr. Cooper our deepest gratitude,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. “His teachings and insights have earned him the title as the father of aerobics, and he has espoused a lifestyle that has benefited everybody from top athletes to senior citizens who are simply looking for ways to improve their quality of life. He clearly has defined himself as a leader who challenges the status quo, and has created a brighter future for the next generation.”
Major sponsors of the dinner included the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation, AT&T, Garrett and Cecilia Boone, Chick-fil-A, Cooper Aerobics, Cooper Clinic, Dunkin Brands, Durham Family Foundation, EY, Glazer’s, Lyda Hill, JLL, ONCOR, Papa John's - John Schnatter, PepsiCo Foundation, Perot Foundation, Orville Rogers, Kenny and Lisa Troutt, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and Westwood Trust. PaperCity magazine was the print media sponsor, and Gro Floral & Event Design, Metro Linen and Suite 206 Luxury Event supported the event as the in-kind sponsors.
The NFF Hall of Fame ring was provided by Herff Jones. Dinner vice chairmen included Meridith and Brian Casey, Rhonda and Dan Cathy, Angie and Tyler Cooper, Barbara and Steve Durham, Lyda Hill, Debra and Clint McDonnough, Margot and Ross Perot, Orville Rogers, Jennifer and Edward Sampson, Bob Shapard, Lisa and Kenny Troutt, and Roger Williams.
Following the inaugural CFP title game in Arlington, Texas, the next two national championship games will be played in Glendale, Ariz., on Jan. 11, 2016 and Tampa, Fla., on Jan. 9, 2017. Subsequently, the NFF will stage Leadership Hall of Fame inductions on Jan. 7, 2016 and Jan. 5, 2017 in the host cities. Other NFF events annually scheduled to take place during the national championship weekend include the announcement of the College Football Hall of Fame Class on the Friday before the title game.
“Led by its executive director Bill Hancock, the College Football Playoff is doing a marvelous job of using the title game’s national stage to shine a light on everything right with our great game,” said Hatchell. “The NFF Leadership Hall of Fame plays an important role in highlighting the value of football off the field, and I want to thank Bill and his amazing staff for their hard work in helping to launch this new tradition. We truly appreciate their efforts.”
The NFF announced the creation of the NFF Leadership Hall of Fame in 2013, and the platform provides the organization with a powerful vehicle for recognizing the country’s most influential individuals who have ascended to the highest levels of success and exhibited the critical leadership qualities that transcend ordinary enterprises. Inductees into the NFF Leadership Hall of Fame must exhibit a passion for the NFF’s mission of building leaders through football, and their accomplishments must embody the same qualities in amateur football that define excellence in American life: hard work, discipline, determination, teamwork, integrity and the relentless pursuit to improve.
Each inductee’s accomplishments are enshrined at the new College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta as role models for future generations to emulate. Previous inductees include George Pyne, the former president of IMG Worldwide Sports and Entertainment, Jerry Jones, the owner, president and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys, and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.
The NFF Leadership Hall of Fame events serve as a centerpiece of the NFF’s annual fundraising efforts, providing critical support for the organization’s scholar-athlete programs and outreach efforts that emphasize the value of football to society. By creating a powerful fundraising opportunity, the NFF Leadership Hall of Fame allows those who have reached the pinnacle of success to help the NFF strengthen its programs and fulfill its mission of Building Leaders Through Football. Click here to learn more about the NFF Leadership Hall of Fame.
Fay + Sawers Productions, which served as the event planners for the induction of Jerry Jones last year in Dallas, returned to produce the event for Dr. Cooper. The Business Media Group (BMG), which is based in Indianapolis, produced the show. BMG served as the show producers of the NFF Leadership Hall of Fame inductions of George Pyne and Governor Chris Christie.
About Cooper Aerobics
Cooper Aerobics, pioneered by the "father of aerobics," Kenneth H. Cooper, MD, MPH, celebrates 45 years of health and wellness in 2015 and a commemorative event in the fall. Dr. Cooper introduced the concept of preventive medicine in 1970 and continues to be an international authority on how to live a longer, healthier life. Sports teams worldwide have benefited from the world-leading body of data and expertise from The Cooper Institute® and its seven health and wellness companies. Through the array of services Cooper offers, millions have been inspired to make good health a habit, helping improve their quality and quantity of life. For more information, call 866.906.2667 (COOP) or visit cooperaerobics.com.
About The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army 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 120 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, the NFF Leadership Hall of Fame, the NFF Scholar-Athlete Awards presented by Fidelity Investments, the NFF High School Showcases, the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, the NFF Faculty Salute Initiative presented by Fidelity Investments, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Alumni Association, and scholarships of more than $1.3 million for college and high school scholar-athletes. The NFF also collaborates with the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) to release the FWAA-NFF Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll; awards The William V. Campbell Trophy presented by Fidelity Investments and prominently displayed at its official home inside the New York Athletics Club; and bestows several other major awards at the NFF Annual Awards Dinner. NFF corporate partners include the Allstate Sugar Bowl, Fidelity Investments, Herff Jones, PrimeSport, the Sports Business Journal, and Under Armour. Learn more at www.footballfoundation.org.
