Olympic Games Gold Medalist Athlete. Born in Chicago, Illinois, he became the NCAA 125½-pound wrestling champion in 1955 and 1956 while at the University of Iowa, where he lost only three matches in three years. He won AAU national championships in the weight class from 1957 to 1959 and was named the outstanding wrestler in the 1959 national tournament. Then won a gold medal at the 1960 Olympics, after which he retired from competition. In 1963, he began coaching wrestling for the Mayor Daley Youth Foundation in Chicago. Under his coaching the team won six AAU national freestyle wrestling championships and five Greco-Roman titles. He was a founder of the United States Wrestling Federation (now USA Wrestling) in 1965, and also served on the board of directors and executive committee of the United States Olympic Committee and as vice president of the international federation. Taught business ethics and social responsibility in business for 12 years at Santa Ana college. He later was chief financial officer of Lions International and in 1975 became executive director of Toastmasters International, which he grew to 8,000 chapters and 180,000 members worldwide before retiring in 2001. An avid surfer, in 1993, he was elected elected President of Surfrider Foundation, an environmental organization focused on keeping beaches clean and in 2001 became executive director of Surf Industry Manufacturers Association through 2003. Elected to the United States Wrestling Hall of Fame, the International Wrestling Hall of Fame, the Amateur Wrestling Hall of Fame, and the United States Olympics Hall of Fame. He died in Dana Point, California, of mesothelioma, a rare cancer linked to asbestos exposure, ingested while working at an oil refinery while training for the 1960 Olympics.
Olympic Games Gold Medalist Athlete. Born in Chicago, Illinois, he became the NCAA 125½-pound wrestling champion in 1955 and 1956 while at the University of Iowa, where he lost only three matches in three years. He won AAU national championships in the weight class from 1957 to 1959 and was named the outstanding wrestler in the 1959 national tournament. Then won a gold medal at the 1960 Olympics, after which he retired from competition. In 1963, he began coaching wrestling for the Mayor Daley Youth Foundation in Chicago. Under his coaching the team won six AAU national freestyle wrestling championships and five Greco-Roman titles. He was a founder of the United States Wrestling Federation (now USA Wrestling) in 1965, and also served on the board of directors and executive committee of the United States Olympic Committee and as vice president of the international federation. Taught business ethics and social responsibility in business for 12 years at Santa Ana college. He later was chief financial officer of Lions International and in 1975 became executive director of Toastmasters International, which he grew to 8,000 chapters and 180,000 members worldwide before retiring in 2001. An avid surfer, in 1993, he was elected elected President of Surfrider Foundation, an environmental organization focused on keeping beaches clean and in 2001 became executive director of Surf Industry Manufacturers Association through 2003. Elected to the United States Wrestling Hall of Fame, the International Wrestling Hall of Fame, the Amateur Wrestling Hall of Fame, and the United States Olympics Hall of Fame. He died in Dana Point, California, of mesothelioma, a rare cancer linked to asbestos exposure, ingested while working at an oil refinery while training for the 1960 Olympics.
Bio by: Fred Beisser
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