Fowler Awarded at Greater Raleigh CVB Luncheon

Wolfpack Director of Athletics receives John B. Ross, Jr. Leadership Award.

July 19, 2006

RALEIGH, N.C. - NC State Director of Athletics Lee Fowler received the John B. Ross, Jr. Leadership Award at the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau's 19th annual luncheon on Wednesday, July 19, at the RBC Center.

The GRCVB recognized Fowler individually and NC State collectively for the university's involvement in hosting a variety of championship events in Raleigh, from NCAA Men's and Women's basketball regionals at the RBC Center to the Men's and Women's College Cup soccer champion at Cary's SAS Soccer Park to dozens of state high school championships at Carter-Finley Stadium and Paul Derr Track.

"I am receiving this on behalf of the 168 employees of the athletics department who make these events possible," Fowler said after accepting the 10th-annual award. "We have attracted these events to the school and to the city, but those employees of our department are the ones who have done such a great job to keep them coming back.

"That is why they have done so well."

Among the events NC State is scheduled to host in coming years are the 2006 Women's College Cup and the 2007 Men's College Cup at SAS, the 2008 Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament, the 2007 and 2009 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament.

Those events will generate more than 20,000 hotel room nights and bring more than $10 million in direct visitor spending to Wake County.

Fowler attended the function alongside men's basketball head coach Sidney Lowe , who served as the annual event's keynote speaker.