Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame Introduces 2016 Honorees

CHICAGO, Aug. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- This year the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame will present awards to two additional honorees at the 20^th Anniversary Dinner on September 7, 2016. Patrick G. Ryan will be honored with the Chicago Sports Lifetime Achievement Award and Donald R. Wilson Jr. will be honored with the 2016 Chicago Sports Advocate of the Year Award.

A longtime sports advocate, Patrick G. Ryan, served as Chairman for the Chicago 2016 Olympic and Paralympics Bid Committee. He is a major benefactor to Northwestern University and a longtime supporter of its Athletic Department, and in 2013, Mr. Ryan was inducted into the Northwestern Athletics Hall of Fame. Since 1990, Mr. Ryan has been a minority owner of the Chicago Bears. He also serves as Chairman of the Board of World Sport Chicago, the legacy organization of the 2016 Bid Committee.

Don Wilson, an avid sailor, served as chairman of the Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series Chicago. He was instrumental in bringing an America's Cup qualifying event in June 2016 to Chicago's Navy Pier – the first freshwater venue in America's Cup history. The new Chicago Sports Advocate of the Year Award is presented to Don because of his leadership and determination to put Chicago on the forefront of the sailing world.

Fox News sportscaster Corey McPherrin returns as emcee of the induction dinner. The event benefits the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame Charities, a 501c3 tax-exempt organization in Illinois honoring those who have distinguished themselves through their contribution to sports. VIP cocktails are from 5:30-6:30PM with dinner and induction starting at 7PM on Wednesday Sept. 7th at McCormick Place West, 2301 South Indiana Ave, Chicago, 60616.

For more information and to purchase sponsorship, please go to our website www.chicagolandsportshalloffame.com or call 312-341-3410.

View the announcement for the introduction of the Class of 2016 here. 

Patrick G. Ryan, Founder, Chairman and CEO, Ryan Specialty Group, LLC
Chicago Sports Lifetime Achievement Award  

A widely respected entrepreneur and global insurance leader, Patrick G. Ryan formed Ryan Specialty Group, LLC (RSG) in 2010. RSG is a global holding company which includes wholesale brokerage, highly specialized underwriting companies and specialty services designed for brokers, agents and insurers. The company has offices across North America and Europe.  Prior to launching RSG, Mr. Ryan founded Aon Corporation and served as its Chairman and CEO for 41 years. At Mr. Ryan's retirement, Aon had more than 500 offices in 120 countries, generating revenues then in excess of $7 billion.  

Mr. Ryan has received a number of accolades throughout his career. In 1987, Mr. Ryan received the esteemed Horatio Alger Award which honors those who are dedicated to the principles of integrity, hard work, perseverance and compassion for others. In 2008, Mr. Ryan was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the nation's oldest and most prestigious honorary societies and independent research centers, founded in 1780. Also in 2008, he was elected to the International Insurance Society Hall of Fame and received the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award. He was named by Brigham Young University International Executive of the Year for Corporate Integrity. Other career tributes include Insurance Leader of the Year, College of Insurance, and the Insurance Federation of New York's Free Enterprise Award.

Mr. Ryan has been a member of the Northwestern University's Board of Trustees for 37 years, 14 years of which he served as Chairman. In 2009, Northwestern awarded Mr. Ryan a Doctor of Humane Letters degree. Four years later in 2013, Mr. Ryan received the Northwestern Alumni Association Medal of Honor. This award is the highest award granted by the Northwestern Alumni Association to an alumnus/a who combines superior professional distinction and/or exemplary volunteer service to society, with an outstanding record of service to Northwestern. He also was inducted that year into the Northwestern Athletic Hall of Fame.  

Mr. Ryan has received numerous Insurance and Community awards and also served as Chairman of the Chicago 2016 Olympic and Paralympics Bid Committee. Additionally, Mr. Ryan serves as Chairman of the Board of World Sport Chicago, the legacy organization of the 2016 Bid Committee.

Donald R. Wilson, Jr., Chicago Sports Advocate of the Year, 2016

Don Wilson founded the Chicago Match Race Center in 2009 to bring world-class match race sailing to shores of Lake Michigan. Chicago quickly became one of the world's top training and competition centers for up-and-coming match racing and Olympic sailing talent. With a strong foundation for stadium sailing in place, the Windy City caught the attention of America's Cup organizers. As chairman of the Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series Chicago, Mr. Wilson was instrumental in bringing an America's Cup qualifying event to the city's Navy Pier in June 2016 – the first freshwater venue in America's Cup history. The event further raised the profile of competitive sailing in Chicago and leaves a legacy through Endeavour Chicago, a community boating and educational initiative for the city's youth.

An avid sailor himself, Mr. Wilson has earned prestigious match race victories, including the 2010 & 2011 Richardson Trophy and 2010 Canada's Cup. Mr. Wilson and his Convexity Racing Team have applied these skills in fleet racing as well, winning many local contests and two national championships.

Outside of competitive sailing, Mr. Wilson is a longtime Chicago business owner and influential leader in the financial futures industry. He is founder and CEO of DRW, a principal trading and real estate development firm with more than 700 employees in Chicago, London, Montreal, New York, San Francisco and Singapore. He is also co-founder and board member of two other innovative companies in the financial industry, Eris Exchange and Digital Asset Holdings.

Mr. Wilson holds an undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Chicago, where he is now a trustee.  He also sits on the board of the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago Foundation. He lives with his four children in Chicago.

Contact: Dawn Andersen
[email protected]

SOURCE Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame

Related Links

http://www.chicagolandsportshalloffame.com