Cycling leader Weisel receives prestigious Steinbrenner award
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Thomas Weisel with his son, Kipling
The award is presented annually by the USOF to an outstanding member of the Olympic family who has contributed to sport through management, sport organization endeavors or the enhancement of competitive opportunities. Weisel was chosen as the 2011 recipient based on his longstanding involvement in the sports of cycling and skiing.
A long-time contributor to cycling, Mr. Weisel founded Montgomery Sports, and subsequently Tailwind Sports, operating professional cycling teams in the USA and around the world from 1990 through 2006. His support has played a critical role in keeping the sport alive in the United States. In 2000, the businessman made the initial contributions to found the USA Cycling Development Foundation, and currently serves as the organization’s chairman. Over the last decade, he has been instrumental in shaping USA Cycling’s future and in raising over $17,000,000 to fund the national governing body’s athlete development programs.
Also a passionate skier, Weisel has played a vital role with the U.S. Ski Team for 35 years and continues as one of its most active supporters. Weisel joined the U.S. Ski Team Educational Foundation in 1977 and was its chair during the pivotal period from 1983-94. His leadership and personal contribution has helped to raise tens of millions of dollars to support U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association programs. He was honored by the USSA in 1999 with its highest honor, the Julius Blegen Award, and is considered one the most influential leaders in the more than 100 year history of the USSA.
In addition to the sports leadership Mr. Weisel has provided over the years, he boasts athletic accomplishments that span four decades. Among other successes, he was a five-time national speed skating champion in the 1950’s, a skiing bronze medalist in the 1982 U.S. Masters Championships, and a three-time world champion in masters cycling.
Sports have only been one part of Mr. Weisel’s diverse career. He is also recognized as a pioneer in Silicon Valley’s high tech industry development. The banker and businessman founded Montgomery Securities, a firm he sold to Bank of America in 1997. In 1998, he founded Thomas Weisel Partners, and he is currently the Co-Chairman of Stifel Financial. He also serves on the Boards of the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. In the past he has served on the boards of NASDAQ, Stanford Endowment Management Board and Harvard Business School. Mr. Weisel graduated from Stanford University with distinction and honors in Economics and obtained his MBA from Harvard.
About the USA Cycling Development Foundation
Created in 2000 to support the future of American cycling, the USA Cycling Development Foundation (USACDF) raises money to drive American athlete development programs in cycling. As the non-profit fundraising arm of the national governing body, the USACDF receives no federal funding or subsidies and operates solely through private donations from individuals, corporations, and other foundations. The money raised by the Foundation funds programs for juniors, U23 and other future Olympic athletes in all disciplines of competitive cycling. For more information about the USA Cycling Development Foundation, visit www.usacdf.org.
About the U.S. Olympic Foundation
The U.S. Olympic Foundation, headquartered in Colorado Springs, is a separate not-for-profit corporation which was established in 1984 as an endowment for sports in the U.S. Olympic Movement. The foundation was created from portions of the revenue generated by the 1984 Olympic Coin Program and the surplus from the Olympic Games of the XXIII Olympiad in LosAngeles.
This Article Published December 8, 2011 For more information contact:
