| 2015 IIAAA Conference Agenda |
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
First General
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Second General Session:
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Third General Session:
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Fourth General Session:
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Tom Zupancic joined the Indianapolis Colts when they moved to the city in 1984. He served as the team’s Strength and Conditioning coach until 1999 when he joined the front office organization as Director of Business Development. Tom was then promoted to Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing in 2000 and served in that position until he retired in 2011. Tom is an active ambassador in the community. He serves on the boards of the Children’s Bureau, Community Hospital Foundation, Speedway Exchange Club, 21st Century Charter School, Fountain Square Charter School, The GEO Foundation and the Board of Trustees for the University of Indianapolis. In the course of the year, he makes dozens of appearances delivering motivational messages to a wide variety of audiences. He has been honored for his generosity by the Exchange Club (Exchangite of the Year, 1999) and Sertoma (Service to Mankind Award, 1999), March of Dimes (Man of the Year, 2005), Celebrating Catholic School Values (Career Achievement Award, 2005) and was one of ten recipients of the 2000 Jefferson Award, a statewide program that recognizes charitable commitment. In 2010, Tom was awarded a Doctor of Letters Degree from Martin University. Governor Evan Bayh presented him with a Sagamore of the Wabash award in 1996; this is Indiana’s highest civilian honor. Tom is a graduate of the University of Indianapolis. He was inducted into U of I Athletic Hall of Fame and received the school’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2000. He was named the NFL’s Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year in 1995, and was inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame as a player in 2000. He has also written a book, Strength and Conditioning for Football and Then Some. Tom ranked 14th in the world among all-time super heavyweights in 2000 with a 600-pound bench press. He was a finalist for the 1980 and 1984 USA Greco Roman Olympic wrestling teams. In 2012 Tom retired from the Indianapolis Colts organization after 28 years. He is now working for DEEM Electrical and Mechanical and sister company, Central Security and Communications. The two companies employ over 1200 people and operate in 24 states. Tom is the Vice President of business development. Tom grew up in Haughville (West side of Indianapolis). He graduated from Cathedral High School and the University of Indianapolis. Tom and his wife Carrie are the active parents of three children: Katie, 2011 graduate of Vanderbilt, Jake, 2014 IU Kelley School of Business graduate, and John Thomas, Junior at DePauw University. |
Paul was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of due to making a significant contribution to Indiana basketball in some fashion other than as a high school player or coach. In addition, Paul received the 2014 Indiana Pacers Silver Medal award. Mr. Patterson played at Hammond Morton H.S. and Hanover College before embarking on remarkable coaching career; Spencer High School, followed by Somerset (KY), Amelia (OH), Northwest Missouri State University and Ashland Paul Blazer (KY) before a record-setting 34-year stint at Taylor University. Paul accumulated 734 wins at Taylor which established him as all-time winningest head coach at a four-year Indiana college. He recorded 28 winning seasons, 15 conference championships, 14 NAIA National Tournament appearances, including a trip to the 1991 NAIA Final Four, 12 Coach of the Year honors and 1991 National Coach of the Year award. Every player who played four years under him at Taylor received their degree. Paul was also a recipient of the 2013 Sagamore of the Wabash. |
Bob Gardner is currently executive director of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), following ten years as the organization’s chief operating officer. The Indianapolis-based NFHS is the national leadership organization for high school athletic and performing arts activities involving more than eight million participants in high school sports and more than four million in performing arts programs. Gardner has been involved in high school athletics throughout his entire 40-year career in secondary education as a teacher, coach, athletic director, and administrator. He began his high school administrative career as a principal before being named as superintendent. Gardner also served as a member of the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) Board of Directors. Gardner joined the IHSAA staff as assistant commissioner and served ten years in that role prior to becoming commissioner. He was commissioner of the IHSAA for five years. As chief operating officer of the NFHS, Gardner chaired the NFHS Rules Review Committee, and was responsible for NFHS insurance programs, and the nomination process for NFHS committees. Gardner currently serves on the board of directors of USA Basketball and USA Football. He previously served on the Indiana Sports Corporation Board of Directors and is a member of the Indiana High School Wrestling Hall of Fame. He has been called upon internationally to discuss high school sports in America, and in June 2011, he represented the United States Olympic Committee at the International Education Forum in Greece. He recently returned from an international sports forum in Beijing, China. Gardner earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Evansville and his master’s and Ed.S. degrees from Ball State University. |
Bobby Cox began his role as the eighth commissioner of the Indiana High School Athletic Association in 2011. Prior to that appointment, he served as assistant commissioner since 2000 administering the sports of football, boys’ golf, boys’ and girls’ track and field, and wrestling. Previously, Cox was a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Football Rules Committee serving as the Chairman of the Research subcommittee from 2008-2011. Additionally, Cox served as a member of the NFHS Coaches’ Education committee from 2002-2006 and as an advisor to the Commission on Sports Medicine of the Indiana State Medical Association for 11 years. Currently, Commissioner Cox serves on the NFHS Foundation Board of Directors and the NFHS Sanctioning Task Force. Cox and his wife, Kathy, the retired athletic director at Clay Middle School, reside in Carmel. |
