Chronological History of M Club Actions
M Club Foundation
2707 Comcast Center
Terrapin Trail
College Park, MD 20742
Phone: (301) 314-2619
Fax: (301) 314-9318
February 1970 - February 1971
- Jack Flynn was elected president, John Klvak as assistant treasurer and Nick Kovalakides as assistant secretary.
- Football Assistant Coach Lee Royer reported that the Varsity M Club has $500 in assets and plans an organization with officers and sports representatives similar to the Alumni M Club.
- The Athletic Department provided space for our first formal office in the Trophy Room, Cole Field House (the same location as our current office). This paved the way for appointing a full time executive director.
- Our dues-paying members increased to 522, with our associate golf members accounting for another 250 members.
- George Knepley was responsible for Cole Field House playing host to its second NCAA championship game where UCLA defeated Jacksonville.
- The 20th Annual Banquet was held at the Statler-Hilton on December 4, 1970, chaired by Vernon H. "Whitey" Miller. Sam LeFrak, former track manager and now a prominent New York builder, received the Distinguished Citizen Award.
- Treasurer Charles Beebe reported that our assets increased over $11,000 to $80,035. This enabled our annual scholarship aid to rise to $10,000.
February 1971 - February 1972
- The board named Bob Weiss president, while Al Heagy was unanimously elected as our first executive director-secretary.
- Whitey" Miller developed a 50/50 raffle (at $50 per ticket) which generated another $5,000 annually for our scholarship fund.
- New promotions by George Knepley included a very successful Jack Nicklaus-Deane Beman Golf Outing. They were both first team All-American while playing for Ohio State and Maryland, respectively.
- Bill Larash chaired the 21st Annual Banquet at the Sheraton-Lanham Motor Inn on December 3, 1971. Baltimore native and Detroit Tiger Hall of Famer, Al Kaline, accepted our Distinguished Citizen Award. The Banquet produced a profit of $2,800 for the scholarship fund.
- Our assets increased almost $12,000 to $91,965. This was due mainly to the continued success of our promotions and a very profitable investment program.
February 1972 - February 1973
- Bill Larash returned as our president during this period with Harvey Simms replacing Nick Kovalakides as assistant secretary.
- Five promotions were held: the Russian Gymnasts, Globetrotters, US-Russia basketball game, a Country Music show, and a pro-basketball game.
- A 32-page format was developed for the "Voice of the Turtle" and issued to all members quarterly under the co-editorship of Van Sigworth and Al Heagy.
- The Varsity M Club held a successful dance and participated in charitable work.
- George Knepley resigned as promotions director in 1973. His very profitable actions since 1958 were primarily responsible for the M Club's steady increase in assets and scholarship aid to our student athletes.
- The Athletic Department commended us for our large contribution for improvements to the football building. This action also helped improve the University's varsity sports program by providing better locker room facilities. The 22nd Annual Banquet was chaired by Nick Kovalakides. It was held at the Sheraton-Lanham on December 1, 1972. Joseph Danzansky, president of Giant Foods, received our Distinguished Citizen Award. Our very devoted and efficient office secretary, Judy Kehoe, was rewarded with an Honorary Membership. Ben and Hotsy Alperstein also sponsored our first Geary Eppley Award. It goes to a graduating male letterwinner who achieved the highest scholastic average during four years of competition.
- Charles Beebe announced that our assets for fiscal years 1972 and 1973 increased to $94,808 and $119,658 respectively. These improvements enabled our annual scholarship aid to grow to $18,500.
September 1973 - September 1974
- Vernon H. "Whitey" Miller served as president.
- The First Celebrity Golf Tournament was held on July 24, 1974 under the initiative of President Miller, Len Rodman, Frank Cronin and Doug and Tom Fields.
- Associate members increased to a record 348, with total dues income from members/associates reaching a record $18,707.
- Chairman Conrad Hemphill promoted a series of musical groups at Cole Field House, including Elvis Presley, Mac Davis, Charlie Rich, Charlie Pride, Natalie Cole and Lawrence Welk. Athletic events featured USSR Volleyball and Romanian Gymnastics, pro-basketball, National Karate and Gymanstics and a US-USSR Track meet.
- Jack Heise explained the revisions made in our by-laws.
- Van Sigworth chaired the 23rd Annual Banquet celebrating our 50th Anniversary on December 8, 1973 at the Adult Education Center (now called the Inn & Conference Center). All subsequent banquets have been held at this location. Our Distinguished Citizen Award went to newscaster Howard K. Smith. We also honored the 50th anniversary accomplishments of our charter founders in 1923.
- Our assets exceeded $150,000, enabling us to increase our scholarship aid to $20,000.
September 1974 - September 1975
- President Nick Kovalakides succeeded in sharply increasing attendance at board meetings by awarding a variety of gifts for attendees.
- John Simmons replaced Charles Beebe as treasurer, a position he held for 24 years. He was named our independent auditor in 1998. Bob Stumpff was elected assistant treasurer.
- Approximately $35,000 was netted from our successful in-house promotions - two golf tournaments, a 50/50 raffle and the Annual Banquet.
- The quarterly "Voice" was distributed to over 2,300 letter winners.
- John Simmons' financial report showed an increase of almost $30,000 for a fund balance of $178,905. He announced that our annual scholarship aid rose to $26,500.
- Jim Umbarger chaired our 24th Annual Banquet on December 6, 1974 where Dr. William Schmidt, a PG County educator, received the Distinguished Citizen Award.
September 1975 - September 1976
- Van Sigworth was elected president.
- Dues-paying letter winner members continued to increase, nearing 700 members.
- Our 25th Annual Banquet was chaired by Conrad Hemphill on December 5, 1975. US President Gerald Ford was named our Distinguished Citizen.
- Treasurer John Simmons' financial statement showed an increase of over $60,000 in our fund balance to $245,026. We voted to increase our scholarship aid to $35,000.
September 1976 - September 1977
- Conrad Hemphill was named president while Ed Minion replaced Bob Stumpff as assistant treasurer.
- Bill Lake organized a group of sports representatives to contact by phone all out-of-state prospective dues payers. This effort helped increase letter winner dues-payers from 616 to a record 844.
- President Hemphill reported that efforts to revitalize the Varsity M Club were successful, with officers and a planning committee selected.
- Bill Lake chaired the 26th Annual Banquet on December 3, 1976 where former baseball letter winner, Richard Johnston, director of the Johnson Space Center, received our Distinguished Citizen Award.
- Our promotions program reported its first deficit due to over spending on the US-USSR Track Meet. This led to a reduction in our fund balance for fiscal '77 to $217,234.
September 1977 - September 1978
- President Len Rodman reported that promotions chairman Conrad Hemphill arranged three successful special events - Gymnastics featuring Nadia Comaneci, Blue Grass '77, and International Gymnastic team competition. However, the Athletic Department placed a moratorium on future promotions at Cole Field House to try to solve certain problems that had taken place on campus.
- Jim Hennessey chaired the 27th Annual Banquet on December 2, 1977 where University President, Dr. Wilson H. Elkins, received our Distinguished Citizen Award.
- Our fund balance for fiscal '78 was $235,416.
September 1978 - September 1979
- President James Umbarger announced that Jack Bickley met with representatives of the Varsity M Club. They selected officers and set plans for a membership campaign.
- Jack Heise met with the CYO and extended our co-sponsorship of the National Invitational Track Meet for five years.
- Tony Santy sponsored a "Welcome Wagon" at two football games for our members and guests.
- The board approved an award in memory of our long-time former treasurer, Charles Beebe, to go to "a senior woman athlete at the Annual Banquet in recognition of her superior academic and athletic achievements."
- George F. "Rosey" Pollock, one of our founders, sponsored a Founders Award to perpetuate the names of the eight letterwinners responsible for the M Club's founding in 1923.
- Life Memberships were reinstated at a fee of $250.
- "A Historical Summary of the M Club's Activity, 1923-1978" was completed by Al Heagy and office secretary Mrs. Mary F. DuVall. They gave credit also to Geary Eppley, George Knepley and Jay Phillips.
- The 28th Annual Banquet was held on December 2, 1978, chaired by Dr. Roy Skipton. Retired Director of Athletics Jim Kehoe received the Distinguished Citizen Award in recognition of his 40 years of superior service for the University. The award was presented by newly named University President, Dr. John S. Toll.
- Treasurer John Simmons reported a fund balance of $243,426.
September 1979 - September 1980
- President Bill Lake continued his successful membership contact program with a follow-up letter and second dues statement. A policy of deleting names from the records was adopted when disinterest was shown.
- Connie Hemphill proposed a plan to raffle ACC Basketball Tournament tickets for 1981 as a means of increasing our scholarship aid. It was approved by Athletic Director Carl James and ACC Commissioner Bob James, our former secretary.
- The Varsity M Club was reactivated by Dave Ungrady, senior captain of the track team. They set goals of increasing the athletes' awareness of the M Club; providing a low-key social atmosphere; and spreading goodwill throughout the University community. A financially successful car wash was held in the fall to benefit Prince George's County Special Olympics.
- The 29th Annual Banquet was chaired by Conrad Carpenter on December 1, 1979. Dr. Herbert Brown, retired chairman of the Board of Regents, received our Distinguished Citizen Award.
- John Simmons announced that our assets increased $59,000 to $302,000.
