NBA Legend Bill Walton Headlines Tri-C Foundation Presidential Scholarship Luncheon

Hall of Famer will share his story of determination at Oct. 11 event

Bill Walton, a basketball legend who carried his on-the-court success into broadcasting and business careers, will be the featured guest at the Cuyahoga Community College Foundation’s 2019 Presidential Scholarship Luncheon.

The event to benefit student scholarships at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C^®) will take place at 11:25 a.m. Friday, Oct. 11, at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel on Public Square. The luncheon is presented by PNC Bank.

“PNC has partnered with Tri-C for nearly three decades, enabling us to leverage our collective resources to uplift Northeast Ohio through education,” said Pat Pastore, PNC regional president for Cleveland. “The Presidential Scholarship Luncheon is a terrific opportunity for all of us to help students achieve their goals.”

Since its inception in 1992, the Presidential Scholarship Luncheon has raised more than $20 million to help Tri-C students with financial need pursue higher education.

“Scholarships create opportunities that change lives,” said John Skory, chairperson of the Tri-C Foundation. “Supporters of the luncheon provide critically needed funds for those who might otherwise be unable to afford a college education.”

Walton adds to the list of distinguished speakers to headline the Presidential Scholarship Luncheon, joining athletes Earvin “Magic” Johnson (2015) and Hank Aaron (1997) and sports broadcaster Bob Costas (2008).

The Hall of Famer is one of only four players in the history of basketball to win multiple NCAA and NBA championships. Walton was named the nation’s top collegiate player three times and claimed the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award in 1978.

Following his playing career, Walton moved into the broadcast booth and excelled. The man who once stuttered so badly he struggled to say a simple ‘”thank you” was named one of the Top 50 sports broadcasters of all time by the American Sportscasters Association in 2009.

Walton also serves as the volunteer executive chairman of San Diego Sport Innovators, a non-profit business accelerator that drives growth in the city’s vibrant sports economy by offering innovative programs and services for companies.

He’s also active with many organizations and charities, author of the memoir Back From the Dead, and perhaps the world’s biggest fan of the Grateful Dead.

“Bill has passion — for his work, for family and friends, for music, for life and for greatness,” said Megan O‘Bryan, Tri-C Foundation president. “He’ll bring his outsized passion to Cleveland and inspire our luncheon audience with tales from an improbable life in sports and beyond.”

The luncheon discussion with Walton will be moderated by Len Komoroski, chief executive officer of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

For ticket information, call the Tri-C Foundation at 216-987-4868.

PNC Bank, National Association, is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking including a full range of lending products; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit www.pnc.com.

August 01, 2019

John Horton, 216-987-4281 john.horton@tri-c.edu