As the 2013 Fordham football season inches closer, the Gridiron Club held its 20th annual Golf at the Leewood Golf Club in Eastchester on Monday. The big news didn't occur on the links, but in the clubhouse where Frank Sacco, FCRH '87, was introduced as the new Gridiron Club president and John Lumelleau, FCRH '74, as the new chairman of the Fordham Football: The Next Level fundraising committee.
Following a day of golf, the Ram faithful met in the clubhouse for dinner, where Head Coach Joe Moorhead
honored outgoing Gridiron Club president, the Hon. Robert Holdman, FCRH '86, LAW '91, who has served as the club president for the six years. Moorhead presented Holdman with a framed No. 77 jersey, Holdman's uniform number when he played for the Rams from 1983 to 1985, as well as a Fordham football helmet.
"We would like to express our most sincere thanks to Judge Holdman and John Zizzo [former chair of the Fordham Football: The Next Level fundraising committee], for their tireless dedication and significant contributions to the continuous improvement of the Fordham University Football Program," said Moorhead. "As men who truly bleed the Maroon and White, their leadership and passion for our team and University is greatly appreciated and will be sorely missed."
Holdman opened his remarks with a toast to the late Rich Marrin, former Gridiron Club president who selected Holdman as his successor, prior to his passing in 2010. He expressed his gratitude to his football brethren and was delighted to pass reigns to his teammate Frank Sacco.
Later in the program, Sacco, vice president, North American Decision Analytics Sales for Progress Software, addressed the crowd and announced the appointment of Lumelleau as the chairman of Fordham Football: The Next Level Fundraising Committee. He replaces John Zizzo, FCRH '69, who was recently named to the Fordham University Board of Trustees. Under John Zizzo's leadership, a goal was established of raising $4 million over five years, through pledges committed from former players and fans. In only its first year the committee raised more than $900,000 in new gifts and pledges and is poised for even greater success moving forward.
Lumelleau, president and chief executive officer at Lockton Companies in Kansas City, Mo., couldn't make it to the golf outing but Sacco outlined the initiatives of the committee, who are excited to continue the vision John Zizzo set forth.
"We are not only looking for financial gifts to help upgrade the facilities but we are also looking for people to volunteer their time as well as purchase season tickets," said Sacco. "We plan on the Gridiron Club and fundraising committee to work hand-in-hand going forward in order to maximize our efforts."
Sacco announced that there will be a Gridiron Club meeting open to all former players and donors who want to get involved, on Thursday, August 29 at 5 p.m. at Rose Hill, prior to the Rams' season opener with Rhode Island on Jack Coffey Field. The meeting will be followed by a subcommittee meeting for The Next Level. He also announced that former Ram Jack Pieracini, FCRH '98, a Fordham Athletic Hall of Famer who is an account executive at IBM, will serve as the Gridiron Club vice president.
"We are very excited to pass the reigns of the Gridiron Club and Fundraising Committee to Frank Sacco and John Lumelleau," said Moorhead. "As men who have attended Fordham and played for the Rams, they understand the needs of our program and student-athletes. We look forward to working them as we strive to reach our goal of becoming a consistent, championship football program."
Both Sacco and Lumelleau will be working closely with the football program as well as the athletics development office. "It has been an honor and a privilege to work for so many years with Bobby Holdman and John Zizzo," commented Lynette Rivera, director of development for athletics. "We are all excited to continue the efforts put forth by these outstanding gentlemen. We have the utmost confidence that Frank and John will help Fordham football by raising engagement and fundraising opportunities to elevate the program, both on and off field."
The new Gridiron Club president also announced that the annual Fordham Gridiron Club Dinner will be held on September 20 in O'Keefe Commons on the Rose Hill campus, where Holdman will receive the Mara Family Award and Sylvester D. McClearn, GSB '86 and GBA '88, will be honored with the Walsh Award.
The Rams will report back to Rose Hill on Thursday, August 1, and have their first practice of the season on Friday, August 2. Football season and individual game tickets are now on sale online at www.fordhamsports.com or by calling the Fordham Ticket Office at 855-RAM-TIXS.
If you are interested in attending the Gridiron Club meeting on August 29, please contact Ryan Kirwan, Assistant Director of Development for Athletic Events, at rkirwan1@fordham.edu or (646) 312-8223.
