Celebrity Golf Classic – Celebrity Information

2012 Celebrities (all are expected to return in 2013, with a few more exciting additions! Stay tuned…)


	Steve Mariucci, our Host and Presenting Sponsor Stephen Ray “Steve” Mariucci is a former NFL Coach and is currently a host and analyst for the NFL Network. He was born in Iron Mountain, Michigan and quarterbacked NMU to the NCAA Division II National Football Championship in 1975. He began his coaching career at his alma-mater and then moved to Cal State Fullerton. Read More... His first pro position was as a receiver’s coach for the USFL’s Orlando Renegades in 1985. Later that fall, he had a stint with the Los Angles Rams as quality control coach. He Joined the USC staff in 1986, and then moved to the coaching staff at California in 1987. In 1990 he served as the Golden Bear’s Offensive Coordinator before being appointed as QB coach for the Green Bay Packers. After four years as quarterback coach for the Packers, Mariucci returned to Cal as Head Coach in 1996. Following his season with the Golden Bears, Mariucci was considered a leading candidate for several NFL coaching positions, and was hired to coach the San Francisco 49ers. In 2001, the 49ers returned to the playoffs after a 12-4 season, but were edged out by the Packers. In Mariucci’s final season with the 49ers, he led them to an NF West win with a 10-6 record and beat the New York Giants in a wild card game, posting the second-biggest comeback playoff victory in NFL History. In 2003, Mariucci was named the Lion’s 22nd head coach. He spent 2+ years in Detroit, earning the NFL’s highest coaching contract at the tine. Mariucci is one of only thirteen head coaches since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970 to lead his team to a division title in his first season. Mariucci established an NFL mark for consecutive wins by a rookie head coach with an 11-game winning streak. After leaving Detroit, he was hired by the NFL Network as an analyst on the show NFL GameDay, and contributing analyst on the NFL Networks four-hour pregame show “NFL GameDay Morning”, as well as providing follow-up reports from the late afternoon and Sunday night matchups on “NFL GameDay Highlights.

	Jay Feely Thomas James “Jay” Feely is an NFL placekicker for the Arizona Cardinals. Feely has also been a member of the Tampa Bay Storm, Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs and the New York Jets. Read More... He was a four-year letterman at the University of Michigan where he played football. He was a member of the Pro Football Weekly All-Rookie Team with the Falcons in 2001 and was a Pro Bowl alternate with the Giants in 2005. Jay has been with the Cardinals team since 2010, and became just the fourth kicker in 40 years to run for a touchdown, scoring on a fake field goal against the Denver Broncos. He also kicked a career-high five field goals in the game; 25 points, the most points scored by a player in a single game since 2007. On Christmas Day in 2010, Jay kicked a 48-yard field goal for a win over the Dallas Cowboys. Note: Jay is actively recruiting other NFL players to join us for the UPCGC and is hosting a Charter Fishing event the following day.

	Matt Griesser Matt Griesser is an actor and comedian who began his career performing ensemble improv with Second City alumni at Up Front Comedy in Los Angeles, CA. He studied under improv greats Ryan Stiles and Jane Morris. Read More... The role he is best known for is “Sign Boy.” From 1999 to 2007, he performed / improvised 50 plus international television spots for the FootJoy golf brand. During that time he also played ‘sidekick’ to PGA Pro Peter Jacobsen on his Golf Channel original series, “Plugged In.” Most recently, in 2010, he was cast and directed by Christopher Guest to play Lance Armstrong’s assistant, “Alphonse”, in a string of Radio Shack television spots. In addition, he has appeared in guest spots on such TV shows as “King of Queens”, “10 Items Or Less”, “‘Til Death” and “Rules of Engagement.” He has also appeared in two feature films. “The Flintstones: Viva Rock Vegas” & Cameron Crowe’s, “Almost Famous.”

	Tom Izzo Tom Izzo is a college basketball coach. Since 1995, he has been the head coach for the Michigan State Spartans men’s basketball team, presiding over a prolonged period of success. Under Izzo, the Michigan State program has been one of the most successful in the country. Read More... Izzo has led the Spartans to the 2000 NCAA Division I National Championship, the 2009 NCAA Division I National Championship Game, six Final Fours, and seven Big Ten Championships in his first 17 years at Michigan State. The coach with the most wins in school history, Izzo’s teams have been invited to the past 15 consecutive NCAA tournaments, in addition to setting the Big Ten record for the longest home winning streak. These accomplishments led analyst Andy Katz at ESPN to deem Michigan State the top college basketball program for the decade from 1998 to 2007. Currently the longest tenured coach in the Big Ten Conference, Izzo, whose teams are often recognized for their rebounding prowess and defensive tenacity, has won four national coach of the year awards and maintains a considerable coaching tree—several of his former assistants are currently head coaches at other Division I schools. Izzo is just the 5th coach in Big Ten history to win 7 conference titles.

	Edgar Bennett Edgar Bennett, wide receivers coach of the Green Bay Packers, was also a Packer player (running back) from 1992 to 1997. Bennett was drafted in the 4th round by the Packers in the 1992 NFL Draft, and started his Packer career as a full back, but became the starting running back in 1995 and gained 1067 yards rushing. Read More... As both a fullback and a running back, Bennett excelled as a receiver leading the Packers in receptions. He continued as the starting running back throughout the 1996 season. His career as a Packer culminated in their Super Bowl XXXI victory. Due to a ruptured Achilles tendon in the 1997 preseason he did not play that year. He went on to play for the Chicago Bears from 1998 to 1999. Bennett rejoined the Packer organization in 2001 as director of player development, then serving as the running backs coach for six seasons. In February 2011, Bennett was named wide receivers coach. His impressive NFL career stats include 3,992 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns.

	Marlon Young Marlon Young has been the lead guitarist for Kid Rock’s Twisted Brown Trucker Band since 2007. He co-wrote most of 2007’s Rock N Roll Jesus and wrote the ballad, “Blue Jeans and a Rosary.” Read More... He is also credited as co-writing the follow up to Rock N Roll Jesus according to Kid Rock himself. Rolling Stone has praised his skills, comparing him to another famous Young in AC/DC’s Angus Young. The ranked the guitar heavy “So Hott” the 38th best song of 2007.

	Robert Brooks Robert Brooks, a NFL player with the Green Bay Packers, is said to be one of the most resilient and remarkable athletes in Packer’s history; Brooks became the team’s main ‘Go-To’ receiver in the mid ‘90’s. In the 1995 season, Robert led the Packers with 102 receptions and 13 touchdowns, while racking up 1,497 receiving yards. Read More... His 99-yard touchdown pass reception against the Bears in September 1995 is still a Packer record. Brooks not only made his mark on the field but off the field – actually in the stands. After his touchdowns, Brooks popularized the “Lambeau Leap.” When football was over, Robert enjoyed a successful music career, using the nickname “Shoo-in” which he had earned during his football-playing days. He has produced two CDs entitled Jump and Down wit’ tha Bay. Brooks is now a minister of Trend Setters Church in Phoenix, Arizona.

	Sam Vincent James Samuel “Sam” Vincent, was the twentieth pick of the 1985 NBA Draft and played two seasons for the Boston Celtics, winning an NBA Championship ring. He joined the Seattle SuperSonics and was later traded to the Chicago Bulls. After one-and-a–half solid seasons with the Bulls, he was selected by the Orland Magic and finished his NBA career with the Magic in 1992. Read More... He scored 3,106 points and tallied 11,543 assists during his seven-year tenure in the League. Shortly after retiring from the NBA, he worked at Disney’s Wide World of Sports. Sam, a former 6’2” point guard at Michigan State University and winner of the 1981 State of Michigan “Mr. Basketball” award, is a native of Lansing, Michigan. Since retiring from the NBA, he has been the assistant coach of the Dallas Mavericks and head coach of the Charlotte Bobcats. Vincent has also coached basketball in South Africa, Greece, Netherlands, Nigeria and the NBDL. He led a Nigerian women’s basketball team to a 68-64 victory over South Korea in the 2004 Summer Olympics, the first ever victory by an African nation in an Olympic women’s basketball contest. In 2008 Sam was named the head coach of the Anaheim Arsenal of the NBA development league.

	Dexter McNabb Dexter McNabb is a former American college and professional football player who was a fullback in the NFL for three seasons in the 1990s. McNabb was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 1992 NFL Draft, and played for the Packers fro two seasons from 1992 to 1993. Read More... After a year away from the NFL, he spent the 1995 season with the Philadelphia Eagles, mainly as a blocking fullback. After his NFL career was over, McNabb returned to Gainesville, Florida where he had played for the University of Florida “Florida Gators” from 1988 to 1991 and helped win their first official SEC football championship. He is now the principal at Pulaski High School in Pulaski, Wisconsin.

	Rick Mahorn Rick Mahorn, dubbed “The Baddest Bad Boy of Them All,” is a retired NBA player, most notably with the Detroit Piston and the Philadelphia 76ers. He won an NBA Championship with the Pistons in 1989. He is currently a radio analyst for the Detroit Pistons. In his career as a player he teamed with superstar Charles Barkley to form the top rebounding duo of Thump N’ Bump.” Mahorn also coached the WNBA’s Detroit Shock.

	Jim McMahon Jim McMahon, Jr. is a former football player. He played in the professional ranks with the Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, and Green Bay Packers. The Chicago Bears selected McMahon in the first round of the 1982 NFL Draft. New head coach Mike Ditka made McMahon his first first-round selection. Read More... He became well known for wearing sunglasses and headbands. In 1987 “Mad Mac” brought the Chicago Bears back in the first game following the 1987 NFL players strike to defeat the Buccaneers, 27-26. The Bears went on to an 11-4 record. McMahon was named 1991 the NFL Comeback Player of the Year. He moved to the Minnesota Vikings in 1993 as their starter and led them to the playoffs. He also played for the Cleveland Browns in 1995, was cut during the pre-season, and then signed with the Packers. He retired following the 1996 season, in which he won a second Super Bowl ring with the Green Bay Packers. Since retiring from football in 1997, he has worked as a restaurant owner and motivational speaker. In December 2006 McMahon went to Iraq with the USO to visit American forces in the field.

	Josh Langfeld Josh Langfeld is an professional ice hockey player. Langfeld was drafted in the 3rd round, 66th overall, in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft by the Ottawa Senators. He played four years at the University of Michigan before turning pro. In 1998, Langfeld scored the game-winning goal against Boston College to win the NCAA Championship for the University of Michigan. Read More... He has spent time with the Senators, San Jose Sharks, and the Detroit Red Wings, as well as American Hockey League clubs the Grand Rapids Griffins, Milwaukee Admirals and Binghamton Senators.

	Rob Rubick Rob Rubick is a former NFL Tight End for the Detroit Lions. He attended Grand Valley State. He was drafted in the 1982 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions in the twelfth round. As an NFL player Rubick played in 88 games, had 4 touchdowns (3 receiving, 1 rushing), 44 receptions, and 1 carry. From 1999 to 2007, he served as the Detroit Lions studio analyst on the Detroit Sports Report, and later on Lions Live, on Fox Sports Detroit. Read More... Rubick has done the radio color commentary for EMU football on WEMU since 2004. After leaving professional football, Rubick received Masters’ Degrees from Eastern Michigan University and Marygrove College and currently works as a teacher at Lapeer West High School in Lapeer, Michigan. In 2010, he became the color commentator for preseason games on the Detroit Lions Television Network.

	Lloyd Carr Lloyd Carr is a former American Football player and coach. Carr was among the winningest active football coaches in NCAA Division I football. He served as the head coach of the University of Michigan from 1995 through the 2007 season. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 2011. Read More... Carr compiled a record of 122 wins and 40 losses and won or shared 5 Big Ten Conference titles. In 1997 the team was declared the National Champion by the Associated Press. A talented athlete himself, Carr played a star quarterback for NMU and led the Wildcats to an undefeated season in 1967. His integrity was widely lauded as one of his defining characteristics and a major part of his legacy.

	Nick Baumgartner Nick Baumgartner is a US Snowboarder from Iron River, Michigan. His first world cup victory was in 2008 in Lake Placid, NY. In 2009 he earned a bronze medal while at the world championship competition. He won the world cup in 2011. Baumgartner was a member of the 2010 USA Winter Olympics team. Read More... With 15 screws and a plate in his neck, in 2011 Nick broke Nate Holland’s winning streak. In January 2011, he won the gold medal at the Winter X Games in Aspen, and in 2012 won silver. He also competes in the Stock Truck Class TRAXXAS TORC Series, finishing in the Top 3 in each of his first three races, and held the points lead mid-season earning the title of Rookie of the Year.

	Terry Ahola Terry Ahola is a former member of the US Ski Team. A native of Gladstone, Michigan, he spent 3 seasons on the US Ski Team. He competed in the Europa Cup/World Cup before joining the North American Pro Tour in 1984. He was selected as Western Rookie of the Year in 1984, and later joined the Legends of Skiing at Vale, and is considered a “Valued Ambassador of the Sport of Skiing”. Read More... He was inducted into the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame in 2008. He learned to ski at Ludington State Park in Michigan, and said that his father Kip made his first pair of ski boots by cutting off the tips of an old pair of shoes and nailing them onto skis. His post skiing career has included commentating on skiing events for ESPN and doing a commercial for Maxwell House. Ahola now operates a hotel in Michigan and works for Banshee Music in Milwaukee as an artist liaison.

	Chuck Klingbeil Chuck started his career at Northern Michigan University, where he helped NMU to a NCAA playoff quarterfinal berth in 1987. The defensive tackle went on to star with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. Read More... He was named defensive MVP of the 1989 Grey Cup game. Chuck, a Houghton, MI native then played five years for the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, where he started all 16 games each year, leading the team in tackles in 1995 and 1996.Chuck currently works with Michigan Tech’s defensive ends, helping them with their strength and conditioning program.

	Robert Gamez Robert Gamez is a professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour. He attended the University of Arizona where was a member of the golf team. He played on the 1989 Walker Cup Team and dropped out of university to turn professional later that same year. He started out winning two tournaments in his rookie season. Read More... Only three other golfers, Marty Fleckman in 1967, Ben Crenshaw in 1973 and Garrett Willis in 2001, have won their first PGA event. He is possibly most well known for holing his second shot from the fairway on the tough 18th hole in the final round at the 1990 Nestle Invitational, giving him a one stroke win over Greg Norman. A commemorative plaque has since been placed in the fairway on the 18th hole at Bay Hill to mark the spot from which Gamez holed his 7-iron from 176 yards. He finished in the top-125 every year between 2002-2005 including a T-5 at the Bank of America Colonial in 2004 and a win at the 2005 Valero Texas Open. It was his first win in 15 years, 6 months (394 events), after being injured in a car accident, and a PGA Tour record. His best finish in a major is T12 at the 1990 Open Championship. Gamez hosts an annual tournament in Orlando, Florida for the benefit of the Team Gamez Foundation.

	Tully Blanchard Tully Blanchard is a semi-retired second- generation American professional wrestler. He is best known as an original member of the Four Horsemen. He worked for most of the major professional wrestling organizations in the United States: the National Wrestling Alliance, American Wrestling Association, World Championship Wrestling, and the World Wrestling Federation (now known as WWE). Read More... On March 31st, 2012, Tully Blanchard was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as a member of the Four Horsemen. Throughout the latter half of 1985, Blanchard and a number of high profile wrestlers in the company often competed together, usually in variations of tag team matches or interfering in one another’s matches if they appeared to be losing. In early 1986, the foursome became a solidified group and called themselves the Four Horsemen. The group quickly established dominance within the territory by capturing numerous championships with Blanchard winning the NWA National Heavyweight Championship in March 1986 and with Flair as the NWA World Champion.

	John Hiller John Hiller was formally introduced to the baseball world as a Detroit Tiger southpaw relief pitcher in 1967. During this pennant season he became the Tiger’s go to guy, posting a solid 2.63 ERA in 65 innings pitched. In 1971, John suffered a massive heart attack and had to sit out the entire ’71 season. Read More... John took every opportunity to practice his fastball, change-up, and curve ball, this hard work did not go unnoticed by manager, Billy Martin, who later called John up in July of 1972, and in 1973, John had what baseball statistician, Bill James once called “the greatest season for a closer in the history of baseball.” As the Tiger’s closer that season, John posted at the time a major league record of 38 saves in 125 innings pitched. He was later honored with many awards one being the Hutch Award, given to the player who best displays a fighting spirit and competitive desire.

	Tina Stull Tina Stull is a NHRA Super Comp Dragster driver. In 1998, she went to the Frank Hawley Drag Racing School in Pomona, Calif., but didn’t start drag racing until 2002 after being diagnosed with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. In 2002 she was diagnosed with terminal cancer and told she had 3 years to live. Later, when Read More... Stull went back to the doctor they told her, “You don’t have cancer, we can’t find it; we don’t know how to explain the pathology reports, so just go home.“ “If I was going to race when I was dying, why wouldn’t I race now that I was living,” she said. Today Tina continues to pursue her racing career as a National Hot Rod Association Super Comp Dragster driver and is helping people everywhere overcome their obstacles and reach for their dreams. Tina has particularly hit a chord with our military families. Tina has visited bases all over America, with her Dragster, and speaks about her experiences, visits with Soldiers and signs autographs. Tina has created Team Troops, a support group for people in our military, and has been providing soldiers, and their families.

	Jack Mauro Jack Mauro, a native of Saginaw, Michigan began his college football career at the University of Wyoming will a full-ride football scholarship. He transferred to NMU to be closer to his family, where he was named All-American. Read More... Mauro was recruited by the Green Bay, where he played for a year as a Green Bay Packer under coach Vince Lombardi. He was traded to the Denver Broncos and played with them for three years until an injury ended his career.

	Randy McKay Randy is a retired Canadian professional hockey player; he played in the National Hockey League from 1988 – 2003, with the Detroit Red Wings, New Jersey Devils, Dallas Stars and Montreal Canadians. Randy is best remembered for scoring the winning goal in game six of the 1995 Eastern Conference Finals. Read More... The Devils went on to win the Stanley Cup by upsetting the favored Red Wings in four games. In a regular season game, Randy and teammate John Madden each scored 4 goals and went on to a 9-0 win over the Penguins. Randy with the Devils won his second Stanley Cup in 2000 against the Dallas Stars. Randy played hockey for Michigan Technological University and is currently a volunteer assistant coach for Tech’s ice hockey program.

	Danielle Beverly Danielle Beverly was first diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2003 and again in March 2005 and June 2007. With her husband, Eric, a retired NFL player for the Detroit Lions, by her side, she has faced and defeated breast cancer three times. Read More... Inspired by her courageous battle as a three-time breast cancer survivor, Danielle and Eric Beverly established a family foundation in May 2006 to help other breast cancer survivors and the family members who love and support them through what can certainly be called the battle of a lifetime.

	Dieter Kochan Dieter Kochan, former goaltender for the Houston Aeros, Tampa Bay Lightning, Minnesota Wild and the Vancouver Canucks, was the first ice hockey player to be called up directly from the UHL (United Hockey League) to the NHL (National Hockey League). Read More... Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Kochan played hockey at Northern Michigan University where he won the 1997 All-Academic Team award, 1995 Most Valuable Player, and the Dallas Drake Defense Player of the Year in both 1996 and 1997. Kochan notably scored a goal for the British Columbia Icemen on January 5, 1999, and was a member of the Calder Cup champion Houston Aeros in 2002-2003. He also shared (with Wade Dubielewicz) the Harry “Hap” Holmes Memorial Award (AHL-fewest goals against) in 2003-2004. Kochan announced his retirement in 2007 after playing the 2006-2007 season with the Aeros. Kochan is now a Michigan State Police Trooper with the L’Anse MSP Detachment.

	Larry Poncino Major League Umpire worked the 1996 Midsummer Classic, the 2006 Division Series and the League Championship Series 1998, 2003 and 2005. Larry was behind the plate for Dennis Martinez’s perfect game in July 1991 at Dodger Stadium. Larry co-chairs the One on One Partners Golf Charity and was the San Clemente City Golf Champ in 1986.

	Bobby Jurasin Bobby Jurasin, a Canadian Football League All-Star, played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Toronto Argonauts. Bobby was part of the Roughriders Grey Cup winning team; he also won the Molson Cup Most Popular Player in 1987 and 1997. He is the Roughriders all-time leader in quarterback sacks with 142. Read More... Bobby also played for the Arena Football League with the Iowa Barnstormers. He was inducted in the Northern Michigan University Hall of Fame in 1998 and the U.P. Sports Hall of Fame in 2005. Bobby was also inducted in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

	Dusty Collins Dusty, in his rookie season at Northern Michigan University, played in 36 games for the Wildcats posting seven points. Prior to NMU, Dusty played for the U.S. National Team Development Program during the 2002-03 season. He amassed 17 points in 53 games played. Read More... He was a member of Team USA’s gold medal winning squad at World U-17 Challenge in Winnipeg, Manitoba and at the Four Nations Tournament in Sweden. In 2004, Dusty was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning as a forward.Dusty is back at NMU working with Coach Kyle and the team as an assistant coach.

	Bobby Mariucci Bobby is the first wrestler to be inducted into the U.P. Hall of Fame. He chalked up 263 wins and 42 tournament championships in a wrestling career that began in the first grade. Read More... Bobby was an All-American Dream Team member and a national Junior Olympic freestyle champion, finished with four U.P. high school wrestling titles. Bobby is the Athletic Director at Cuesta (California) College.

	Roger Mason Jr. Roger Mason Jr. plays point guard in the NBA. Roger started his career with the Chicago Bulls and went on to play with the Toronto Raptors, and the Washington Wizards where he put up the best numbers of his career. Roger continued his career with the San Antonio Spurs where on Christmas Day 2008 he made a buzzer beating three-point shot to beat the Phoenix Suns. Read More... In 2010, Roger signed a contract with the New York Knicks and is currently with the Washington Wizards. In Roger’s early career, he led his high school to their best season ever ranking them in USA Today’s Super 25 list. Roger was also named 1999 Powerade “Mr. Basketball”, awarded to the best player in the Washington, D.C. area.

	George Bowman George is the Secretary & Events Coordinator for the Detroit Red Wing Alumni Association. He is the head golf professional at Oakhurst Golf and Country Club and the Ann Arbor Golf and Outing Club. Played Nike Tour 93-94 / played in 2 PGA Championships (only club pro to have hole in one in a PGA). Read More... George will be bringing several Red Wings with him to the event, to be named shortly. Also rumored to attend is the guitarist for Kid Rock. Bob Richie is unable to attend due to a conflict, but has sent autographed memorabilia for the Live Auction.

	Chris Ostrowsky Head Football Coach for Northern Michigan University. Chris was named head coach after spending two seasons as the offensive coordinator. He has 15 years of coaching experience; Chris was the quarterback coach, recruiting coordinator and passing game coordinator at Northeastern University in Boston. Read More... At Widener University in Pennsylvania, he was the offensive coordinator where his offense established 27 new school records. His squads were back-to-back South Atlantic ECAC Bowl Champions. Chris is also the director of the Chris Ostrowsky Quarterback/Receiver Camp. He was the guest speaker at the Nike Coach of the Year Football Clinic twice.

	Walt Kyle Walt Kyle is the head coach of the Northern Michigan University Wildcat Hockey Team. Walt Kyle, who enters his tenth season, was named the second head hockey coach in Northern Michigan University history on June 13, 2002. Read More... Kyle has led the Wildcats to six 20-wins seasons and is 176-153-39 at NMU. Kyle guided the ’Cats to the NCAA Tournament during the 2009-10 season and to the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) Championship Tournament at Joe Louis Arena in seven of his nine years. He was the head coach of the U.S. National Junior Team, which placed fourth at the 2006 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship in British Columbia, Canada. Prior to his NMU return, Kyle was an assistant coach with the National Hockey League’s New York Rangers for two years. He has coached NHL stars such as Mark Messier, Eric Lindros, Brian Leetch, Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne. As a player at NMU, he captained the 1980 and ’81 Wildcat squads that advanced to the NCAA Frozen Four. He became the first person in NCAA hockey history to score a goal in two tournaments for two separate teams. Kyle was the hockey program’s top assistant in 1991 when Northern won the NCAA Division I national title.

	Jason Welch Jason Welch played Division I collegiate hockey at both Lake Superior State University and Northern Michigan University, where he received the Best Forward, Unsung Hero and Senior Leadership Awards. He went on to play minor professional hockey in the Western Professional Hockey League (WPHL), the International Hockey League (IHL) and East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). Read More... He was selected for U.S. Olympic Touring Team, led the team in scoring and was named MVP. He was also selected for the U.S. Olympic Festival in Denver, Co. After his career in hockey, he enlisted with the Michigan State Police and is currently the Lab Director of the MSP Marquette Forensic Laboratory.

	Chris Lenahen Chris Lenahen is a 6’0” United States Olympic Education Center Weightlifter from Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. In 2009-2010 he was a Gold medalist at the 2010 National Collegiate Championships. He was on the 2011 Winter All-Academic Team; Read More... won Silver at the 2011 National Junior Championships, was February Athlete of the Month; Fall 2010 All-Academic Team; Placed eighth at the 2010 American Open. He placed fifth at the National Junior Championships (Rochester, Minn.); Fall 2009 All-Academic Team.

	Tom Casperson Senator Tom Casperson was elected to the Michigan State Senate on November 10, 2010 to represent the 38^th Senate district, which covers most of the Upper Peninsula except for Chippewa and Mackinac Counties. Read More... He was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives from the 108^th District from 2003 to 2009, representing Delta County, Menominee County and Dickinson County. While serving in the State House, he was the vice chair of the House Transportation Committee and was a member of the Agriculture and Resource Management; Land Use and Environment; and Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security Committees.

	Bart Stupak Bart Stupak is an American politician and lobbyist. He served as the U.S. Representative from Michigan’s 1st congressional district from 1993 to 2011. Stupak was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and graduated from Gladstone High School in Gladstone, Michigan in 1970. He is an Eagle Scout. He earned his Associate’s degree from Northwestern Michigan College, a community college in Traverse City in 1972. Read More... He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Saginaw Valley State University in 1977, graduating magna cum laude, and he earned a law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan in 1981. He worked as an Escanaba police officer in 1972. Stupak later served as a Michigan State Police Trooper from 1973 to 1984. He also practiced law. Stupak chose not to seek re-election in 2010. He departed Congress in January 2011.

	Mark Maroste Retired professional hockey player. Mark played college hockey at Michigan Tech and went on to play for Norway and Germany. While in Germany, Mark tallied 496 points. He was the assistant hockey coach at Michigan Tech from 2001 – 2004. Read More... Mark is the General Manager and Head Professional at Portage Lake Golf Course in Houghton.

	Mark Ayotte Mark Ayotte is a Major League Basketball Official who was born in Ishpeming, Michigan. He is a professional basketball referee in the National Basketball Association and wears the uniform number 56.

	Pat Mikesch Pat Mikesch is assistant coach of The Green Bay Gamblers. Prior to going to Green Bay, Mikesch served as an assistant coach for the past six years with Michigan Tech University of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. Along with his time as an assistant at Michigan Tech, Mikesch also was involved with USA Hockey. Read More... Mikesch served as an assistant coach for the United States Under 17 team that won the gold medal at the 2011 Five Nations Cup in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Mikesch was a four-year member (1992-96) of Michigan Tech’s men’s ice hockey team. He helped the Huskies to three WCHA Final Fives in four years. During his freshman campaign, Mikesch was named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team. Mikesch was also a three-time member of the WCHA ALL-Academic Team. He served as the Huskies team captain for the 1995-96 season, and left Michigan Tech as the program’s seventh all-time leading point scorer with 57 goals and 112 assist. After his collegiate career, Mikesch played eight years of professional hockey in the AHL, IHL, ECHL and in Germany.

	Les Wong Les Wong served as president of Northern Michigan University since 2004, and recently announced his departure. He has been named the new president of San Francisco State University. He has been a great friend to this community and will be greatly missed. Make sure to get his autograph!

	Eric Johnson Eric Johnson is Wayne State University Golf Champion 2011-2012 and Wayne State University Golf Co-Captain. He has been named a co-captain twice before in his career, was Wayne State University’s lone representative at the NCAA Championship last season. Johnson was named to the All-GLIAC Second Team. Read More... A 2007 graduate of Marquette Senior High School, Johnson was a four-year letter winner for the Redmen. He finished second in the Upper Peninsula finals in 2007 and earned medalist honors in the Great Northern Conference in 2007, qualified for Michigan Junior Amateurs in 2006, and was second alternate in 2005.

	Joe Rizzo Joseph Rizzo is a PGA Professional in Iron Mountain, Michigan with one singular goal in mind – to make the game of golf more enjoyable for you. He started golfing when he was 20 years old after his friends introduced him to the game. Read More... His proudest golf accomplishment was caddying for a friend in the 2000 US Open at Pebble Beach. Joe’s biggest golf pet peeve on or off the course is people not fixing pitch marks on greens or repairing divots.

	David Haynes David Haynes is the newly appointed president of Northern Michigan University and has been professionally affiliated with NMU for 27 years in various capacities. He has served as an adviser to five presidents, special adviser to past President Wong on public policy and member of the president’s cabinet. Read More... Haynes has been an associate professor of political science and public administration for the past six years and directs the Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree program. He also is co-director of the NMU Center for Rural Community and Economic Development and chair of the faculty senate graduate programs committee.

	Scott Erickson Scott Erickson was inducted into the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame in 2009. Winner of a record five Upper Peninsula Golf Association men’s championships, Scott Erickson won numerous tourneys across the U.P. from 1972-95. Read More... The former Ferris State University golfer was medalist in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament in 1976 and 1978 and all-district MVP. He was Newberry Golf Club champion six times, was Marquette Golf Club champ four times and won the Newberry Open four times.

	Greg Andrews Greg Andrews considers it a pleasure to serve at the request of Governor Snyder as the Governor’s eyes and ears in Northern MI. Additionally, it is his charge to bring issues and opportunities from Northern MI to Governor Snyder’s attention. Andrews directed campaign activities for then candidate Rick Snyder, in the northern 37 counties of Michigan. Of those, they won 36 counties in the general election.

	Walt & Mike Walt Lindala & Mike Plourde are hosts of “The SUNNY Morning Show with Walt & Mike” on Marquette County’s Sunny 101.9 WKQS-fm. The show features a unique blend of the best in music, the latest news, weather, sports and in-depth interviews with the community’s movers and shakers. Walt Lindala has covered news in Upper Michigan since 1987 and has Read More... been recognized nearly two dozen times by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters for broadcast excellence in radio news. In his spare time, Walt plays guitar in the Flat Broke Blues Band and has played concerts and festivals around the Upper Great Lakes region for over two decades. Mike Plourde has broadcast high school sports in the central U.P. for nearly a decade, doing play-by-play, hosting player and coach interview shows and doing feature reporting on area athletes and programs. Mike is retired from the Michigan Department of Corrections and is an expert marksman with firearms of all sizes. He is also a self-professed “Gastronomic Guru” in the kitchen and loves to cook.

	Ben Smith Ben Smith is the Girls Varsity Basketball Coach and the Boys and Girls Golf Coach at Marquette Senior High School. Ben graduated from MSHS in 1995 and began his teaching career at MSHS in 2000. Ben was named the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan 2010-2011 Coach of the Year.

	Dave L’Huillier Dave L’Huillier is the Varsity Football Coach at Marquette Senior High School. He has coached at MSHS for the last 22 years, the last two as Head Football Coach. L’Huillier led the school to back-to-back football playoffs, the first in MSHS history. The MSHS Football Team also won the school’s first ever playoff game under Coach L’Huillier.

	John Kivela John Kivela is the Mayor of Marquette, and was first elected to the Marquette City Commission in 2006. Reelected in 2009, he began his second term in office as well as his second year as mayor. He was born and raised in Marquette, and has been a businessman in the community for several years. Prior to joining the Commission, Mayor Kivela served as chair of the Board of Zoning Appeals from 2000-2006.

	Doug Garrison Doug Garrison is a Marquette advertising company owner who also hosts a local live television show at the Up Front & Company restaurant and is filmed on the venue’s stage. It’s the Doug Garrison Show, featuring local talent and events each week. People from the audience are included in the taping, and he uses the opportunity to meet and showcase people in the community doing creative and unique things.

	Regina Robinson Regena Robinson of Negaunee was crowned “Mrs. Michigan International” in March of 2012. Robinson is the News Director for TV6 & Fox UP as well as an active community volunteer for many national charitable efforts. She has led youth poetry workshops at several schools, book drives and fundraisers with her sorority Alpha Kappa Read More... Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, fed the homeless through the Salvation Army for the past four years and served as a Women’s International Day volunteer. During her reign as Mrs. Michigan International, Robinson will continue to promote her platform of Literacy: Bridging the Gap between traditional literacy in youth and social media literacy in adults with the non-profit, The World Poetry Agency.

	Cynthia Thompson Cynthia Thompson, News Director and 5:30 p.m. News Anchor at ABC10 – CW5, and has a history of more than two decades in Upper Michigan and in the media. Cynthia holds Broadcasting & Film and Speech Communication degrees from the University of Central Missouri. Read More... After several years in radio news, Cynthia came to the Upper Peninsula in 1988 to join her husband at K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base. That same year, Cynthia started her television career as a reporter and news anchor at WLUC-TV 6 in Negaunee, Michigan. Since 1996, Cynthia has held a variety of radio and television positions including announcer, commercial spokesperson, consultant and managing short and long-term promotions.

	David Fath David Fath, joined the FOX UP news team in April 2011 as the anchor for the 10:00 news program. Originally from Pennsylvania, he graduated from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. Read More... While at Duquesne, he anchored and reported for the campus TV station, DUQ TV. He interned at NBC’s Pittsburgh affiliate, WPXI, which provided him with valuable news experience. David is proud to be associated with FOX UP news, working in the beautiful Upper Peninsula.

	Steve Lundquist Steve Lundquist is a former swimmer from the United States, who was a member of the Olympic Team when the USA boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympics. His rise to fame was when in 1984 he won two Olympic Gold medals: in the 100 meter breaststroke, and the 400 meter medley relay. Lundquist was the first swimmer to break 2 minutes in the 200 yard breaststroke. Read More... He won every 100 yard breaststroke event he entered from 1980-1983. At 17 he broke his first world record and in his career he broke world and American records on 15 occasions. He first broke the 100 meter breaststroke world record in 1982 and held it until 1989 with the exception of one month when John Moffett held it. He also held the world record in the 200 m individual medley in 1978. He set American records in the 100 m and 200 m breaststroke and the 200 m individual medley. Lundquist went on after the 1984 Olympics to spend much of his time volunteering his time for charitable organizations and making appearances on television and in movies. In June 1985, People Magazine awarded him having the Best Chest of male celebrities, including a full-page picture of his muscular torso. In 1996 when the Olympics were hosted in Atlanta, Georgia he was an Olympic Torch Bearer, the Clayton County Master of Ceremonies for the torch run, and he was also given the honor of being the Olympic Flag Bearer at the 1996 Olympic Games.

	Bill Laimbeer Bill Laimbeer is a retired National Basketball Association player for the Detroit Pistons. He was a four-time All-Star and integral part of the Pistons teams that won two championships. Laimbeer was also the head coach of the Detroit Shock in the WNBA from 2002 to 2009, and coached the team to three league championships. During his playing career, Read More... he was one of the most notorious players in the NBA. Laimbeer was one of the top outside-shooting centers of his era, draining over 200 three pointers for his career, and excelled at running the pick and pop with guards Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars. Laimbeer was selected to the NBA All-Star Game on four occasions (1983, 1984, 1985 and 1987) and finished among the league leaders in rebounding and free throw percentage several times, winning the rebound title in the 1985-86 season. He started on the Pistons’ 1989 and 1990 NBA championship teams. Laimbeer spent 14 seasons in the NBA, 12 of them with Detroit. He became the 19th player in league history to amass more than 10,000 points and 10,000 rebounds. Laimbeer was most effective off the defensive glass: from 1982 to 1990 no player in the league totaled more defensive rebounds. His reputation as one of the Pistons’ “Bad Boys” was such that in 1991 he even came to endorse a video game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System called Bill Laimbeer’s Combat Basketball, a futuristic basketball game in which physical play is encouraged.

	Ryan Gordon Ryan Gordon is a PGA Professional in Norway, MI. The PGA of America comprises 27,000 men and women professionals with one singular goal in mind – to make the game of golf more enjoyable for you.

	Brad Nelson Brad Nelson is the Boys Basketball Coach at Marquette Senior High School. Brad is wildly popular with the players, parents and students due to his commitment and dedication to the school and the team. Leading by example, his student players have gone on to become well-rounded academic athletes.
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