News release from the Mad Anthonys:
Mad Anthonys names Bruce Dye 2013 Red Coat recipient
(July 23, 2013) — Mad Anthonys has named Bruce Dye, a longtime supporter of the organization and local business leader, its Red Coat recipient for the 2013 Mad Anthonys Pro-Am.
Dye is the CEO of Hotel Fitness, a Fort Wayne-based global leader in equipment sales and facility design for the hospitality industry. He was president of Heritage Food Service Group, which served as the title sponsor of the Mad Anthonys Pro-Am for the past three years.
In addition to his organization’s support of the Mad Anthonys Pro-Am, Dye has been a long-time and significant individual supporter of Mad Anthonys and the Children’s Hope House. Through last year’s Mad Anthonys Pro-Am, he led a donation-match program that raised more than $600,000 total – including more than $300,000 he personally donated, making him the largest single contributor in the history of the Mad Anthonys – to help fund an expansion and upgrade of the Children’s Hope House in Fort Wayne, which is currently under way.
“As a long-term and enthusiastic supporter of the Mad Anthonys and Children’s Hope House, as well as someone who’s had an enormous impact on golf in Fort Wayne and northeast Indiana, we could not think of a more deserving recipient for this year’s Red Coat than Bruce,” said Don Banowetz, president of the Mad Anthonys. “He believes strongly in the mission of Children’s Hope House and the value it provides our community, which is why he’s been so incredibly giving of his time, talent and resources to help it continue to grow and succeed.”
In addition to financial support, Dye’s been a key driver in updating the Mad Anthonys Pro-Am format in recent years and attracting top-tier professional golfers to Fort Wayne. He was instrumental in bringing some of the LPGA’s most promising young talent, including Fort Wayne native Amanda Blumenhurst – along with legendary Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez – to Fort Wayne for the 2012 Mad Anthonys Pro-Am. In 2013, he led the efforts to bring the Web.com Tour finals to Fort Wayne.
“What an incredible honor to receive this year’s Red Coat and join a long and legendary list of previous recipients,” Dye said. “My support of Mad Anthonys and Children’s Hope House has never been out of a desire for any recognition myself, only out of my strong belief that they strengthen our community. Regardless, I am deeply humbled by and grateful for this recognition.”
Dye will receive the Red Jacket at this year’s recognition dinner on Sunday, August 25. This year’s Mad Anthonys Pro-Am will take place the next day, August 26, as part of the Web.com Tour’s Hotel Fitness Championship August 27-30.
About the Mad Anthonys Children’s Hope House
The Mad Anthonys Children’s Hope House provides nearby lodging and support services for the families of children undergoing pediatric and neonatal treatment. Because Fort Wayne has become a health care hub for all of northern Indiana, southern Michigan and western Ohio, this function is critical to the families of children with severe illnesses and conditions.About the Mad Anthonys
The Mad Anthonys is a charitable organization founded in 1957 and comprised of business leaders and professionals from northeast Indiana. The Mad Anthonys Charity Classic golf event is one of the country’s premier charity golf events, raising millions of dollars for charitable organizations in Fort Wayne.
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