June 9, 2009

CLEVELAND - IMG Worldwide has been named the official presenting sponsor of the 2009 John McLendon Minority Athletics Administrators Hall of Fame Induction Reception. The second annual ceremony will take place June 19 in conjunction with the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Convention at the Orlando World Center Marriott Resort.

"We couldn't be more excited that IMG has signed on to be the presenting sponsor of the Annual John McLendon Minority Athletics Administrators Awards Reception," said Mike Cleary, McLendon Foundation President. "The backing of IMG and IMG College in this event proves their commitment to diversity and inclusion. We look forward to our continued partnership in the upcoming years."

"We are honored to be the presenting sponsor of the John McLendon Minority Athletics Administrators Hall of Fame Induction Reception," said Tom Stultz, Vice President and Managing Director for IMG College. "We are excited about our partnership and look forward to utilizing the resources of IMG to support the advancement of diversity and equal opportunity in athletics."

The John McLendon Scholarship Foundation, which was founded by NACDA in 1998, annually awards five $10,000 scholarships to minorities who are looking to pursue a graduate degree in athletics administration. In 2007, The McLendon Division I-A Steering Committee, which is composed of the 14 Division I Football Bowl Subdivision's minority athletic directors and chaired by the University of Central Florida Director of Athletics Keith Tribble, established the Minority Athletics Administrators Hall of Fame to recognize minority collegiate and professional athletics administrators that have made a lasting impact on athletics administration.

This year's reception will honor Alvin Attles, Golden State Warriors Legend and Ambassador; Anita DeFrantz, the first African-American and first American woman to serve on the International Olympic Committee (IOC); Dr. Bernard Franklin, NCAA Executive Vice President on NCAA Membership and Student Athlete Affairs and Past President of three HBCUs; Willie O'Ree, the NHL's Director of Youth Development for Diversity Programming and the first black player in the League; Gale Sayers, the first black Division I athletics director at Southern Illinois University; Gene Washington, the NFL's Director of Football Operations and first black quarterback at Stanford; and Bob Watson, MLB's Vice President of On-Field Operations and the first African-American MLB General Manager (Houston Astros).

The ceremony will also honor former University of Georgia Athletics Director/Coach and NACDA Past President Vince Dooley who was voted the recipient of the 2008 Selig Mentoring Award. The award, named in honor of Major League Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig, was established in 2007 and is presented annually to a person in athletics administration who has been at the forefront in creating equal opportunities for minorities in the field of athletics.

Charles Davis, former University of Tennessee standout and current analyst for the NFL Network, Fox-TV, and the Big Ten Network will be the reception emcee.

To purchase tables and/or tickets to the event, contact Bret Krift at Bret.Krift@imgworld.com or 859-226-4406.

About the John McLendon Memorial Minority Postgraduate Scholarship Program: The John McLendon Memorial Minority Postgraduate Scholarship Awards are presented to senior-level minority students who intend to pursue a graduate degree in athletics administration. If you have any questions regarding this program, please visit mclendonminorityfoundation.com.

About NACDA: NACDA, now in its 44th year, is the professional and educational association for more than 6,500 college athletics administrators at more than 1,600 institutions throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. More than 2,300 athletics administrators annually attend the NACDA Convention. Additionally, NACDA administers 11 professional associations that come under the umbrella of the athletics director. For more information, visit www.nacda.com.

About IMG Worldwide: Operating in 30 countries, IMG Sports & Entertainment's diverse businesses include: product and brand licensing; consulting services; event ownership and management; collegiate marketing, media and licensing; fashion events and models representation; golf course design; and client representation in golf, tennis, broadcasting, speakers, European football, rugby, cricket, motor sports, coaching, Olympic and action sports. IMG Academies are the world's largest, multi-sport training and educational facilities, delivering world-class training experiences to more than 12,000 junior, collegiate, adult, and professional athletes each year. More information is available at www.imgworld.com.

About IMG College: IMG College is the leader in developing integrated licensing, marketing, and multi-media opportunities for the nation's top collegiate brands across local, regional, and national platforms. IMG College partners include the NCAA and its 88 championships, NCAA Football, leading conferences, and some of the most prestigious universities in the country. IMG College is a division of IMG Worldwide, the world's premiere sports, media, and entertainment company. For more information, please visit www.imgworld.com.