COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Cindy Curley (Hudson, Mass.), Bill Guerin (Worcester, Mass.), Peter Karmanos, Jr. (Raleigh, N.C.), Ron Mason (East Lansing, Mich.) and Doug Weight (Warren, Mich.) have been selected to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame as the Class of 2013, USA Hockey announced today. The date and location of the induction event will be announced later this summer.
"This
is a class that represents extraordinary contribution and success in
many different areas of our sport," said Ron DeGregorio, president of
USA Hockey. "It's a truly remarkable collection of individuals, all so
very deserving of their place among immortals in the U.S. Hockey Hall of
Fame."
The
owner and chief executive officer of the National Hockey League's
Carolina Hurricanes, Peter Karmanos, Jr., has used his business acumen
to build an empire of hockey at all levels of the game in the United
States for more than five decades. In 1994, he acquired the Hartford
Whalers and two seasons later moved the team to Raleigh, N.C. Since the
team's arrival in North Carolina, the Hurricanes have enjoyed success
both on and off the ice, highlighted by winning the Stanley Cup in 2006.
In addition, the team has advanced to the conference finals three times
in the last 11 seasons and captured the Eastern Conference title in
2002 and 2006. The Hurricanes were recognized as the top hockey
franchise and second-ranked franchise in all of sports in 2009 by ESPN
in the "Ultimate Standings," a collection of data and survey results
that take into account a team's on-ice success as well as its community
impact and overall fan experience. As retired executive chairman of the
board for Detroit-based Compuware, he has sponsored one of America's
most successful youth hockey programs of the same name. Karmanos also
owns the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League, the ECHL's
Florida Everblades and several arenas. In 2012 he received USA Hockey's
Distinguished Achievement Award, and in 1998 the NHL honored him with
the Lester Patrick Award for his outstanding service to hockey in the
United States.
(Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)
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