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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE --March 30, 2000
Contact: John Johnson or Andy Frushour-- 517.332.5046

EAST LANSING, Mich. - March 30 - The Michigan High School Athletic Association will honor 152 athletic game officials with 20 or more years of service and 76 with 30-plus years of service to the interscholastic community at its 21st annual Officials' Awards and Alumni Banquet on May 13 at the Sheraton Lansing Hotel at 7 p.m.

The banquet will also feature the announcement of the 2000 recipient of the Vern L. Norris Award. The honor, named for the former MHSAA executive director, will be presented to an official with more than 20 years of experience who has been active in their local officials' association, has mentored other officials and has been involved in officials' education. Ted Wilson of East Detroit was the recipient of the inaugural award in 1992; Fred Briggs of Burton won the award in 1993; the 1994 recipient was Joe Brodie of Flat Rock; Jim Massar of Flint was honored in 1995; the 1996 winner was Jim Lamoreaux of St. Ignace; Ken Myllyla of Escanaba was the 1997 recipient; Blake Hagman of Kalamazoo received the award in 1998; and last year, Richard Kalahar of Jackson was the recipient.

With the induction of this year's select group, the honor roll of officials who have aided young student-athletes grows to 4,539 since the inception of the banquet in 1979.

The guest speaker for this year's event will be National Basketball Association official Tommy Nunez, who is also recognized for his work as the founder and coordinator of the National Hispanic Basketball Classic in Phoenix. In addition to conducting the annual tournament to raise funds for his charitable work, Nunez spends countless hours speaking to school children about staying in school and maintaining a drug-free lifestyle.

Tickets for the banquet are available to the public and are priced at $15.00. Tickets will not be sold at the door. For additional information, contact Angie Butterwick at 517/332-5046.

The officials on this list will receive their 20 or 30-year service plaques at the 21st Annual Officials Awards & Alumni Banquet in Lansing on May 13, 2000.

20-YEAR OFFICIALS

Adrian - Thomas Carlson
Athens - Timothy Yancer

Bad Axe - Paul Binder
Bay City - Jeffrey Newingham
Berrien Springs - Alvin Davis
Big Rapids - Jill Baker
Bridgeport - Arthur McIntyre
Brown City - Tony Burton

Calumet - Daniel Junttila
Champion - Gary O'Brien
Charlotte - James Johnson
Chassell - Julie Hamar
Clinton Township - Leonard Yarnell
Constantine - Timothy Baker
Crystal Falls - Dennis Fabbri

Davison - Rex Jacobsen
Davison - James Ritchie
Davison - Charles Wiggins
Dearborn - Robert Bridges
Dearborn - Eric Soule
Dearborn Heights - Ricky Jackson
Decatur - Patrick Boitnott
Detroit - James Briggs
Detroit - Sheila Homic
Detroit - Godfrey Howard
Detroit - Alan Metivier
Detroit - Patricia Williams-Jones
DeWitt - Robert Mol
DeWitt - Donald Muysenberg
Dimondale - Eric Wills
Dowagiac - Arnold Garritano
Dowagiac - Kathy Leitke
Dundee - Karl Schmidt

East Lansing - Aubrey Radcliffe
Elsie - Jack Nutter
Essexville - Daniel Gillard
Essexville - Rae Harfst

Farmington Hills - Mark Kronk
Ferndale - Bradford Skauge
Flint - James Newell
Flushing - John Dashner
Flushing - Douglas Tipton
Fowler - Donald Schrauben
Fremont - James Goorhouse
Fruitport - George Frederick

Gaylord - Paul Holmes
Gaylord - Robert McNamara
Grand Blanc - Daniel Boilore
Grand Blanc - Charles Pinter
Grand Rapids - Don Edwards
Grand Rapids - Robert Hartman
Grand Rapids - James Ledrick
Grand Rapids - Timothy Masiewicz
Grand Rapids - Michael Skrzycki
Grand Rapids - Mark Stevens
Grand Rapids - Randall VanderVeen
Grand Rapids - Bill Vos
Grosse Pte. Farms - Robert Zaranek

Hancock - Arthur VanDamme
Harbor Beach - Steven Linn
Holland - Jeffrey Goorhouse
Holland - Marvin Hinga
Holland - Dennis Spoelman
Holt - Donald Clever
Houghton - Douglas Larson
Hudson - Fred Bowers
Hudson - Patrick Wollet
Hudsonville - Bob Wojcik

Ionia - Kaye Breining
Iron Mountain - John Pucci
Iron Mountain - Dan Short
Ishpeming - William Bath

Jackson - Terry Campbell Sr.
Jackson - Richard Eby
Jackson - Michael Hazeres

Kalamazoo - Richard Brunson
Kalamazoo - Larry Fike
Kalamazoo - James Heffner
Kaleva - David Somsel

Lansing - Sam Davis
Lansing - David Shipman
Lansing - Donald Yuvan
LeRoy - Max Dean
Linden - James Johnston
Ludington - Joseph Taranko

Madison Heights - Marie Bessler
Madison Heights - Richard Hillman
Manistee - David Nemecek
Marshall - David Benham
Marysville - Joel Venia
Mendon - William Crouch
Midland - Douglas Parker
Milan - Darwin Cook
Mohawk - Allen Olson
Monroe - Louis Ellison Jr.
Monroe - Jeffrey Grodi
Monroe - Dave Sontag
Munising - Gregory Haverkate

New Buffalo - Brian Sullivan
Niles - Teresa Duncan
Niles - Richard Lott
Niles - Michael Nate
North Branch - Norman Edwards
Novi - Brian Sparks

Okemos - John Garrison
Okemos - Michael McKearney
Onsted - Kathi Frank
Owendale - Donald Parrish

Petoskey - Benjamin Miiller
Plymouth - Michael Conti
Portage - William Frakes
Portland - James Wlodarczak

Richland - Thomas Cox
Rockford - Timothy Erickson
Rockford - Charles VanDongen

Saginaw - Roberta Beyerlein
Saginaw - Charles Bovan
Saginaw - Robert Campbell
Saginaw - Robert Knizacky
Saranac - James Long
Sault Ste. Marie - Jerald Cook
Scottville - Rodney Marshall
Shelby Township - Tom Kurczewski
Shelby Township - David Zelmanski
St Clair - Gary Tomlin
St Johns - Daniel VanDuinen
St Louis - Alfred Dickman
Stanwood - Bernard Harvey
Sturgis - Lee Austermann

Temperance - Kenneth Rowe
Temperance - Randall Sehl
Traverse City - Kenneth Domagala
Trenton - Frederick Bruley
Twin Lake - Richard Hall

Utica - Stuart Alderman

Vulcan - William Reid

Warren - Orton Melchoir
Waterford - James Mathis
Watervliet - William Forrester
Wayland - Bruce Schwartz
West Branch - Diane Bergquist
Westland - Donna Strang
Woodhaven - Philip Biondi
Wyoming - Anthony Noto
Wyoming - Peter Salamone

Zeeland - Stan Jesky

Granger, IN - Frank Nemeth
Mishawaka, IN - Richard Golichowski
South Bend, IN - Jerry Radtke
Toledo, OH - William Wiseman
Plano, TX - Steven Phillips

30-YEAR OFFICIALS

Adrian - Michael McCullough
Adrian - Nancy Smith
Alma - James Trumble
Ann Arbor - David Dean

Bay City - Timothy Ayotte
Bay City - Walter Sabo
Brooklyn - Ozzie Hashley
Brownstown - Albert Fernandez

Cedar Springs - James Schab
Charlotte - John Bly
Cheboygan - William Watkins
Clarkston - George Funck
Clinton Township - Richard Moore
Clio - Anthony Leonardo
Coloma - Jeff White
Custer - Edward Miller

Deerfield - Richard Forche
Durand - Gary Marsh

Essexville - Donald Rose Sr.

Fair Haven - John Folske
Fennville - Gary Frens
Flint - Maurice Gagnon

Gladstone - Robert Maki
Grand Blanc - John Benish
Grand Blanc - William McKinney
Grand Haven - Bruce Bareham
Grand Rapids - Dennis Rothenthaler
Grand Rapids - Al VandenBosch
Grand Rapids - Thomas Vincent
Grand Rapids - Joseph Zomerlei
Grandville - Douglas Plasman
Gwinn - Thomas Piasecki

Hale - Philip Seitz

Iron Mountain - David Nobert
Ishpeming - David St. Onge

Kentwood - Dennis Stanton
Kingsford - Joseph Reddinger

Lansing - Alan Racette
Lansing - Roger Small
Lapeer - Michael Rastigue

Marshall - Bruce Murphy
Monroe - John Pasko
Mt Pleasant - Walter Szczechowski
Mt Pleasant - Dan Wawersik
Muskegon - Larry Vaandering
Muskegon - Thomas Young

New Baltimore - James Cleverley

Oak Park - Benjamin Johnson III
Okemos - Thomas Woiwode
Onsted - John Springer
Osseo - Gary Kies

Perry - Curtis Cummings
Plymouth - Russell Carlson
Plymouth - James Walsh

Redford - Robert Williams
Royal Oak - Paul Engelberts

Saginaw - Joseph Bronz III
Saginaw - Hugh Matson
Saginaw - Michael McCann
Sandusky - Norton Schramm
Sanford - Charles Russian
Shelby Township - Frank Talerico
South Lyon - John Peace
Spring Lake - Robert Bareham
St Clair Shores - Shirley Batche
St Clair Shores - James David

Tawas City - Ray VanHorn
Tecumseh - Nancy Hebert
Traverse City - Fredrick Duguay

Vassar - Dan Johnson

Warren - Dennis Bankey
Waterford - Burton Hurshe
West Bloomfield - Thomas Ryan
Wyoming - Daniel Schultz

Ypsilanti - Brian Howard

La Porte, IN - Ronald Kerwin