Winners Announced For The 3rd Annual John Wooten Leadership Awards

Jan. 29, 2012 - PRLog -- The nominating committee for the John Wooten Leadership Awards announced today the selection of the three winners of the pro award:  Nnamdi Asomugha of the Philadelphia Eagles http://www.asomughafoundation.org/; Gary Brackett of the Indianapolis Colts http://www.garybrackett.org/index.php ; and Charles Woodson of the Wisconsin Green Bay Packers http://charleswoodsonfoundation.org/ .   The winner of the college award is Joe Holland of Purdue, an Indianapolis native and a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award finalist. The Community Leader Award will be presented to Comcast in recognition of their outstanding corporate citizenship, commitment to community and focus on advancing new technologies.
Tarik Glenn, former NFL offensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts and founder of D.R.E.A.M. Alive Inc., and Lacy M. Johnson, Partner, Ice Miller LLC, will service as this year’s honorary hosts.  “We are honored to have Tarik Glenn and Lacy Johnson join us as we spotlight these outstanding individuals and companies who are making a difference throughout the communities we live in.” says Everett Glenn, CEO, ESP.
The 3rd Annual John Wooten Leadership (JWL) Awards will be held Thursday, February 2, 2012 at the Central Library located in downtown Indianapolis.  The winners of the 3rd Annual John Wooten Leadership Award for the college and professional division, as well as (2) new categories, Community Leader and Lifetime Achievement awards, will be presented the award at this dinner. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by contacting Sheila Gilmore at 818.430.2182 or online at www.esptasteofthegame.eventbrite.com.  Only ticketed guests will be permitted at the event.
Proceeds from this event will benefit Center for Leadership Development, National D.R.E.A.M. Alive Inc, Greg Jennings Foundation and ESP Education and Leadership Development, 501(c) (3) organizations that support youth empowerment education and mentorship.
The John Wooten Leadership Awards are presented annually to the college and professional football players whose play, community and extracurricular activities best exemplify the leadership and vision of John Wooten, whose NFL career has spanned over 50 years as a player and front office executive.  Affectionately known as the “Godfather”, Wooten’s level of influence knows no bounds and his blessings and endorsement can build a career.  Commissioners, general managers and head coaches seek his advice and to gain his counsel is the key to gaining knowledge and insight that is virtually unparalleled in the NFL.   As Chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, John has been a major instrument behind the successful movement for diversity in the NFL.  The Alliance was established in honor of Fritz Pollard, the first African American to play in a Rose Bowl Game, the first to quarterback an NFL championship team, and the first to coach in the NFL.  
The JWL Awards were established by Southern California-based Entertainment & Sports Plus in 2009 as a way to recognize the many contributions of John Wooten to the game of football and his efforts in promoting diversity and equality of job opportunity in the coaching, front office and scouting staffs of NFL teams.
“This year's finalists have had an extraordinary year on and off the football field and we're excited to welcome them to Indianapolis for what will be an exciting and memorable weekend.  I am honored to celebrate the 2012 winners," said John Wooten.
 
"At Comcast, our commitment to the communities we serve is an important part of how we do business," said Charisse Lillie, President of the Comcast Foundation. "And diversity and equal opportunity are core values at our company. So it means a lot to be honored with the John Wooten Leadership Award alongside these great athletes who have done so much for their communities.”  

The JWL Awards are sponsored by Comcast, NBC Universal, Nationwide Insurance, McTech and RCR Technologies.

ABOUT ESP EDUCATION & LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE

The ESP Leadership Institute primary objective is to address the core challenges of the professional athlete.  Key initiatives includes the Business of Sports Summit; an all day event targeting high school students.  The Summit uses sport as a vehicle to motivate to complete high school and continue to college by exposing the students to the many different non-playing career opportunities in professional sports.

The Life and Leadership Management Program (LLMP) is designed to address the core challenges of the professional athlete.  The LLMP is designed to produce measurable results in the following areas NFL Brand, Player / Owner Relationship, Product Quality/ Durability and Risk Management.  For More Information, eglenn@espsportslawpro.com www.espsportslawpro.com or call 562.619.8460


MEDIA CONTACT:                                 
Sheila Gilmore
Entertainment Sports Plus
ESP Education & Leadership Institute
818.430.2182 (Voice)
562.684.4402 (Facsimile)
sgilmore@espsportslawpro.com

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