Names In The News
The CHARLOTTE OBSERVER's Jefferson George, as part of the paper's "On The Boss's Mind" feature, profiled SMI Chair & CEO BRUTON SMITH, who regularly reads the Charlotte Observer, the Wall Street Journal and USA Today. Smith said that he does not own an iPod or other portable media player, but added, "I used to love jazz" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 6/29).
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Toronto Newspaper Profiles Blue Jays'
Godfrey (seen here with David Beckham) |
BLUE JAYS WAYS: In Toronto, Mary Ormsby profiled Blue Jays President PAUL GODFREY under the header, "Paul Godfrey: Toronto's Most Famous Closer. Love Him Or Hate Him, Paul Godfrey Has A Knack For Getting Things Done." Godfrey is a "man with remarkably few visceral enemies, considering he's had high profile careers in politics, newspaper publishing and now, pro sports." Toronto-based journalist STEVE PAIKIN said of Godfrey, "He's at a unique confluence between three of the things we love most in this town, which is politics, sports and business." But Ormsby wrote Godfrey's "nepotism also grated on some people" (TORONTO STAR, 6/28).
MAGIC TOUCH: In L.A., Bresnahan & Johnson profile Basketball HOFer MAGIC JOHNSON, whose Magic Johnson Enterprises now has movie theaters in four cities, 116 Starbucks shops in 14 states and DC, 31 Burger King restaurants in the Southeast U.S. and 13 24-Hour Fitness/Magic Johnson Sport health clubs. A business associate of Johnson's "estimated the value of [Johnson's] various holdings at $700[M]," and also estimated Johnson's personal net worth at "nearly $500[M]." Johnson said that the "roiled credit markets are forcing" his Canyon-Johnson fund, which controls his real estate holdings, to "alter its investment strategy." Johnson: "The Carolinas are going to be the place where people are moving now. No. 1, you get more for your money. It's affordable. We saw where the trend is going, so that's where we're going to go" (L.A. TIMES, 6/30).
JUST MARRIED: Chris Evert and Greg Norman Saturday in Nassau exchanged marriage vows in "front of about 140 guests during a weekend getaway which started with a golf and tennis tournament." Evert's sons Alex and Nicky "walked her down the aisle, and her youngest, Colton, was ringbearer." Norman's son Gregory Jr. "was best man and his daughter Morgan … was also there." Wines from Greg Norman Estates "were served at a rehearsal dinner on Friday and at Saturday's reception" (London DAILY MAIL, 6/29). Former U.S. presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush attended the ceremony (London TELEGRAPH, 6/29). Other guests included NBC's Matt Lauer and musician Corey Hart. Evert's gown was designed by Carolina Herrera, and Norman's suit was an Ermenegildo Zegna (PEOPLE.com, 6/28).
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Marino To Serve As Special
Trustee For Alma Mater |
HONORS & AWARDS: The Charlotte Chamber of Commerce has awarded Bobcats Managing Member of Basketball Operations MICHAEL JORDAN with this year's Citizen of the Carolinas award, given annually to a person in North or South Carolina who "has brought positive recognition to the states" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 6/28)....Pro Football HOFer DAN MARINO Friday was elected as a special trustee of the Univ. of Pittsburgh, his alma mater (Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 6/28)....Suns G STEVE NASH and the MLB Giants Community Fund will receive the '08 Steve Patterson Award for Excellence in Sports Philanthropy. The awards were presented at the APSE's convention in Minneapolis (Sports Philanthropy Project)....Former MLBers TONY FERNANDEZ, BILLY HARRIS, late Blue Jays Chair PETER WIDDRINGTON and former MLBer and Baseball Canada VP GLADWYN SCOTT were inducted into the Canadian Baseball HOF (CP, 6/29).
NAMES: Oklahoma State Univ. (OSU) AD Mike Holder and his wife, ROBBIE, have donated $1M to OSU's Spears School of Business' new entrepreneurship program in the form of an endowed chair. The Holders decided to make the gift after Malone and Amy Mitchell Thursday gave $57.2M to OSU to be split between academics and athletics (DAILY OKLAHOMAN, 6/28)....In a cover story for the N.Y. TIMES' Sunday Style section, Michael Kaplan wrote under the header, "Pro Poker Players Bet Away From The Table, Too." Kaplan wrote proposition betting has "become as ingrained as oversize designer sunglasses in the professional poker world." Among "many high-stakes professionals, gambling goes beyond a job; it's also a lifestyle and a passion" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/29)....Former MLBers TIM SALMON, DEAN PALMER, JEFF NELSON and MIKE REMLINGER last month took a five-day tour of Afghanistan, visiting five U.S. military bases (L.A. TIMES, 6/29)....The N.Y. TIMES' HARRY HURT as part of the paper's Executive Pursuits feature profiled his one day experience working as a groundskeeper at Shea Stadium. Hurt: "If I couldn't help roll out the tarp, I still had an opportunity to transform the ostensibly blue-collar pursuit of groundskeeping into a uniquely nostalgic executive pursuit" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/28).
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