CAPE COD, Massachusetts - Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) commissioner Phil Buttafuoco has announced John Garnjost as a recipient of the 2003 ECAC George L. Shiebler Award. The award was presented on Tuesday evening, September 30 at the ECAC Fall Convention Honors Dinner presented by Jostens at the Sheraton Hyannis Hotel.

The Shiebler Award is presented annually to an ECAC official who has demonstrated dedication to his avocational activities. The award is named after George Shiebler, former ECAC commissioner, in honor of his leadership over the many years he was associated with eastern collegiate athletics.

John Garnjost, a rowing official for more than four decades, also received the Shiebler Award. His career began in 1952 as a four-year member of the Columbia University crew. In 1960, he became a licensed judge-referee and obtained his FISA umpires license in 1970.

Garnjost actively participated in ECAC rowing competitions with his first assignment as a line judge at the IRA Regatta coming from the ECAC’s first Commissioner Asa S. Bushnell in 1960. Bushnell continually asked for his services at the IRA and at the EARC Men’s Sprints, as did the subsequent four Commissioners. Garnjost was assigned as the Chief Referee at the IRA and EARC Men’s Sprints in the late 1960’s and received these assignments every other year until 1979, when he left for Taiwan. Upon his return in 1989, he assumed the duties of Chief Referee, Chief Starter, Chief Finish Line Judge, or Ombudsman at the IRA’s through 2003. Garnjost would act as the Chief Starter or Chief Referee for the EAWRC Women’s Sprints when it did not conflict with the EARC’s. He was assigned as Chief Referee at the following competitions: San Diego Crew Classic, Cincinnati National Collegiate Men’s and Women’s Rowing Championship Regatta, Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia, Head of Charles in Boston, ECAC Regatta in Worcester, and the Asian Games in Seoul Korea.

Garnjost was an executive at Bristol-Myers Squibb in Taiwan for ten years and recalls, “When I got there the sport was unknown. During my time there it certainly became a known entity and now everyone there knows about it.” Called “the Father of Rowing” Garnjost established the I-Lan International Collegiate Invitational Regatta and brought the sport to two of Taiwan’s major universities. He also helped Taiwan to become a member of FISA as a member of the Taiwanese Rowing Federation, and helped to get significant funding for equipment. He also aided in Taiwan’s hosting of the 1997 Asian Rowing Championships.

His work in Taiwan earned him the prestigious Olympic Order honor by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2000. The Olympic Order is “the supreme individual honor accorded. It was created in 1974 and is to be awarded to any person who has illustrated the Olympic Ideal through his/her action, has achieved remarkable merit in the sporting world, or has rendered outstanding services to his/her own personal achievement(s) or his/her contribution to the development of sport.” Garnjost is just the 53rd American to receive this honor. He also received the John Carlin Award from US Rowing.

He officiated the summer Olympics in Atlanta in 1996, and also worked at Olympic trials, U.S. Nationals, and World Championships.

Garnjost is currently on the town's planning board in Stamford, Connecticut, where he resides and is still active in rowing officiation.

ECAC GEORGE L. SHIEBLER AWARD RECIPIENTS

1977 - Charles J. Blanford (track and field)

1978 - Hon. Richard Aronson (rowing)

1979 - John A. Goldner (basketball, IC4A track)

1980 - Irwin W. Weiss (track, basketball)

1981 - David B. Fawcett (football)

1982 - William J. Stewart (baseball, football)

1983 - John J. Daly (football, ice hockey)

1984 - Pascal J. Perri (wrestling)

1985 - Rocco Montano (soccer)

1986 - Lou Bonder (baseball, basketball)

1987 - Charles Diehl (basketball)

1988 - Heliodoro R. Rico (track and field)

1989 - Joseph P. Warren (football)

1990 - Norman Van Arsdalen (basketball)

1991 - Mat Finkelson (tennis)

1992 - William “Hutch” Hutchinson (ice hockey)

1993 - Joseph Stetz (swimming and diving)

1994 - Howard M. Schmertz (track and field)

1995 - Emily T. Magoon (field hockey)

1996 - Dick Aronson (gymnastics)

1997 - Howard Smith (rowing)

1998 - Albert Benson (football)

1999 - Arthur E. Farnham, Jr. (track and field)

2000 - Larry T. Byrne (track and field)

Bob Quinn (ice hockey)

2001 - Ed Gaffeny (soccer)

2002 – Paul “Frosty” Francis (basketball)