Former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel, now president of Youngstown State University, will be the guest speaker for the May 30 event.
Bulldog Foundation to host ‘Building Futures Extravaganza’
The Bulldog Foundation is proud to present the second annual “Building Futures Extravaganza.”
The fund-raising dinner will be Thursday, May 30, at the Hilton Garden Inn at Levis Commons, Perrysburg.
Former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel, now president of Youngstown State University, will be the guest speaker.
“Drawing on his experiences as one of the most decorated college coaches in history and as president of a university, Jim will speak on one of his mottos ‘macte virtute,’ which is Latin meaning ‘increase excellence,’” explained Doug Miller, president of the board for the Bulldog Foundation.
The OSU head coach led the Buckeyes to 10 consecutive BCS bowl games, including BCS National Championships in 2006 and 2007.
In 2011, he retired with an overall head coaching record of 229-79, earning 12 Coach of the Year awards at the NCAA Division I and II levels.
A native of northeast Ohio, Mr. Tressel graduated from Berea High School in 1971. He earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Baldwin-Wallace College and master’s degree in education from the University of Akron.
He first came to YSU in 1986 as head football coach. Within two seasons, the Penguins were in the NCAA playoffs. He was named executive director of intercollegiate athletics in 1994. In a 15-year tenure as head football coach, his teams amassed a record of 135-52- 2, appeared in the playoffs 10 times and won four national championships.
Mr. Tressel left YSU in 2001 to become head football coach at Ohio State. From 2001 to 2010, he guided the Buckeyes to the 2002 National Championship, six Big Ten Championships, nine bowl appearances, seven 10-win seasons and an 8-1 record against Michigan.His record at Ohio State was 94-21.
Mr. Tressel has published two books: “The Winners Manual: For the Game of Life” (2008) and “Life Promises for Success” (2011).
He was inducted into the National Football Foundation’s College Football Hall of Fame and the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame, both in 2015.
Mr. Tressel became the ninth president of Youngstown State in July 2014 and under his leadership, enrollment increased for the first time in five years.
In 2015, he and his wife, Ellen made a $1 million pledge to create a student work opportunity endowment fund at YSU, an initiative to help expand student employment opportunities on campus. It was the latest in an extensive list of fund-raising and philanthropy activities for the Tressels.
He also was co-chair of the $110 million campaign for the renovation of Ohio State University’s William Oxley Thompson Library.
Mr. and Mrs. Tressel are the parents of four adult children: Zak, Carlee, Eric and Whitney.
Tickets for the Building Futures Extravaganza are $100 or a table of 10 for $800.
VIP sponsors are being sought for the event, and they will have the opportunity to attend a private reception with Mr. Tressel prior to the dinner.
The Bulldog Foundation is an independent, non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization committed to building futures for students in the Rossford School District with scholarships and classroom grants.
Also serving on the Bulldog Foundation board are Rachel Linkous, Joseph Minarcin, Neil MacKinnon III, Rex Huffman, Joseph Schaller, Tim Yenrick, Jon Grimm and Kent Murphree. Ed Reiter serves as an honorary board member and board advisor.
For tickets and more information, visit the Bulldog Foundation website at thebulldogfoundation.org or call Mr. Miller at 419-321-1479.