Contribution to Sports Earns Schiller Academy's Eagle Award
Dr. Harvey Schiller, Ph.D., Chairman of the Board and CEO of GlobalOptions Group, has been honored with the United States Sports Academy’s Eagle Award. Schiller, who is a nominee for the position of President of the International Baseball Federation, received the award from Academy Trustee Tom Cafaro in New York City on 27 February.
Prior to joining GlobalOptions, Schiller served as Chairman and CEO of YankeeNets, an integrated sports-based media company with ownership of the New York Yankees, New Jersey Nets, and New Jersey Devils. The organization was responsible for the marketing, capital fundraising and launch of the YES regional sports network. Dr. Schiller also served as vice president of sports programming for Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., as the president of Turner Sports, Inc., a division of Time Warner and as the president and governor of the NHL expansion franchise, Atlanta Thrashers.
Before joining Turner in 1994, Schiller was Executive Director/Secretary General of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). Holding this position since 1990, he was instrumental in instituting significant changes within the organization to improve its financial health. He worked directly in support of the planning and awarding of the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games to the city of Atlanta. In December 1994, he was awarded the prestigious Olympic Order, the highest decorated honor presented to an individual by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Schiller joined the USOC after serving as Commissioner of the Southeastern Conference from 1986 to 1990 and he has served as a member of the NCAA Executive Committee. He also served as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force (USAF) from 1962 to 1986 (including combat service in Vietnam), and he attained the rank of Brigadier General. In 1980, the President of the United States appointed Schiller as a Permanent Professor at the U.S. Air Force Academy. He is a recipient of several military awards, including the Legion of Merit and Distinguished Flying Cross.
Schiller earned his bachelor's degree from The Citadel and was recently inducted into their Athletic Hall of Fame. He earned his master's degree and doctorate from the University of Michigan, and holds honorary doctorates from The Citadel and Northern Michigan University.
Schiller is active in a variety of national organizations and corporate Boards. He recently served as Vice Chair of the New York City Host Committee of the 2004 Republican National Convention. He was appointed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. He was a member of the Independent Commission of the United States Olympic Committee which was created by the Senate Commerce Committee to study the mission and governance of the USOC. In addition, he was recently appointed by the President to the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars. He also served as a distinguished Visiting Professor at the Goizueta School of Business at Emory University.
The Eagle Award, the Academy's highest international honor in the Awards of Sport Medallion Series, is presented to a world leader in sports in recognition of that individual's contributions in promoting international harmony, peace and goodwill through the effective use of sports. The recipient of this award must have tempered strength with keen judgment in using authority wisely as a means of bringing nations together through sports for the betterment of mankind.
The Eagle Award has been presented annually since 1986 as part of the Academy’s Awards of Sport Medallion Series which pays “Tribute to the Artist and the Athlete.” Past recipients include Paul Tagliabue, Ted Turner, Arnold Schwarzenegger and HSH Prince Albert of Monaco. For a complete list, please visit www.asama.org.
Academy Award recipients are presented with the Academy's Order of the Eagle Exemplar medal and Academy Rosette. The Academy's Order of the Eagle Exemplar medallion was designed by the Academy's Sport Artist of the Year 1990, Blair Buswell. Award recipients are also presented with the Academy Rosette, modeled after the Legion of Honour, which was instituted by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802. A rosette is a symbol of recognition and affiliation.
