Mohawk Valley – July 25^th – July 29^th

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – UTICA – OCTOBER 3, 2000: "Flanked by a triad of supporters from Oneida, Herkimer & Madison Counties, Oneida County Executive Ralph J. Eannace, Jr. & Mayor Joseph Griffo of the City of Rome announced the new overall LOC Chairman and Chairpersons for the Standing Committees for the Empire State Games 2001 Local Organizing Committee (LOC) at a news conference held just prior to the LOC’s first Executive Committee meeting in Utica this afternoon," James C. Brown, Director of Operations for LOC2001 announced today.

"The news conference, held at the Oneida County Office Building in Utica, brought together the LOC’s new Chairman and members of his Executive Committee, as well as many other local government & community leaders energized to move this exciting project forward," Brown said.

Oneida County Executive Ralph J. Eannace, Jr. led off the news conference, joined by City of Rome Mayor Joseph A. Griffo. Eannace announced the appointment of the Chairman of the LOC2001, with Griffo & others local leaders looking on.

"I am proud and pleased to announce the appointment of Steve Merren, Vice-President & General Manager of WKTV, as the Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee for the 2001 Mohawk Valley Empire State Games. Steve brings a diverse background in media sales, management & senior administration as well as an extensive resume in music, the theater and community service activities; just to name a few of his many personal and professional accomplishments," Eannace said. We are proud and honored to have Steve accept such an important leadership role in our Local Organizing Committee for the 2001 Mohawk Valley Empire State Games. Oneida County is committed to working with Steve, and the 2001 Local Organizing Committee towards the success of this prestigious sports event with regional, state-wide and national exposure." Eannace said.

Rome Mayor Joseph A. Griffo echoed Eannace’s comments by saying that, "I’m proud to be a part of team involving such a deep collaboration of members of the public & private sector. The appointment of Steve Merren as the Chairman of our Local Organizing Committee signifies another great milestone towards reaching the lighting of the Empire State Games flame on July 25, 2001 in the Mohawk Valley. From the conception of this project to today, community leaders in both the public & private sector have stepped up to the plate and accepted the challenge of helping us stage the greatest sports festival in New York State; and one of the oldest and finest State Games in the United States of America. We need to all pitch in and work with Steve and the wonderful group of LOC2001 Members that have been assembled to make these Mohawk Valley 2001 Empire State Games the best in the games history!"

Newly appointed Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee for the 2001 Mohawk Valley Empire State Games, Steve Merren, said, "I am honored and thrilled to take on the challenge of leading the Mohawk Valley LOC2001 towards our opening ceremonies on July 25, 2001. As Chairman of the LOC2001, it is my responsibility to work with all of the Members of the Local Organizing Committee and LOC2001 Director of Operations, James C. Brown, as well as our local, state, and federal public and private partners towards the successful staging of this magnificent sports spectacular."

Merren went on to say that, "one of my first tasks as Chairman of the LOC2001 has been to establish an Executive Committee within the overall structure of the full Local Organizing Committee. Many of the men and women here today are serving as Chairpersons of each of the nine Standing Committees to the LOC2001. The committees and their respective Chairs & Co-Chairs are:

Co-Chair(s)

Laura P. Marcantonio, President, Herkimer County Trust
George F. Aney, Esq. Attorney-at-Law
Blake J. Ford, Partner, Nelson-Ford Financial Group
Thomas J. Nelson, Partner, Nelson-Ford Financial Group

• Sports & Housing Venues

Louis B. Tehan, Executive Director, United Cerebral Palsy

Co-Chair(s) – Sports

Honorable Gerald J. Fiorini, Chairman,
Oneida County Board of Legislators

James LaFountain, Director, Oneida County Youth Bureau

• Opening Ceremonies

Co-Chair(s)

Honorable Joseph A. Griffo, Mayor, City of Rome
Christopher P. Destito, Owner, The Beeches of Rome, Inc.

Chairman

Louis V. Campola, Director, Rome Teacher Center

• Media Relations

Chairman

Jerry Walsh, Special Projects Producer, WKTV

• Chamber(s) of Commerce/Convention & Visitors Bureau(s)

Chairman

Paul E. Ziegler, CTP-CTIS, President,
Oneida County Convention & Visitors Bureau

• Public Safety Committee

Chairman

Trooper James Simpson, New York State Police; Troop D Public Information Officer

• Dignitary Committee

Chairman

Gary D. Scalzo, President,
Scalzo, Zogby & Wittig Insurance

• Transportation & Signage

Chairman

TBA

"Each committee is developing very specific goals and milestones towards accomplishing their tasks within a very restricted self-imposed timeline of completion. Committee Chairs and their members are in contact with Empire State Games Executive Staff, as well as their counterpart(s) from the Binghamton 2000 Empire State Games. In addition to the committee chairpersons noted here and present at this afternoons news conference, other members of the community and representatives from each of the eight colleges & universities across Oneida, Herkimer & Madison Counties are also actively involved in games preparations and in committee activities. Frequent full Local Organizing Committee Meetings, more frequent Executive Committee meetings, and even more frequent Standing Committee meetings will mark the months up to the opening ceremonies on July 25, 2001," Merren said.

Merren concluded by saying that, "we are cognizant of the unique challenges facing or Local Organizing Committee. From establishing a comprehensive transportation plan to move athletes, coaches, staff & visitors across our three-county games region, to raising the necessary funding to support all Local Organizing Committee responsibilities, I am confident that our Mohawk Valley region is up to the challenge of staging the most successful and enjoyable Empire State Games in their long history."

On the 16th of August 1978, 4,500 men and women paraded through the old Archbold Stadium on the campus of Syracuse University and ignited the torch for the Empire State Games and, along with it, a new spirit and the beginning of a new and exciting grassroots amateur sports movement in the United States.

Today, more than 40 states around the country have instituted state games programs attracting nearly a half-million participants each year. New York's Empire State Games are not only the first program of its kind in the nation but is often considered to be the most successful, setting a standard for multi-sport amateur athletic programs and offering opportunities to all of New York's athletes.

The real focus, however, is on the athletes. Each year, more than 30,000 men and women, young and old, tryout for the chance to be a finalist at the Games in scholastic, open or masters divisions. And in each of our 28 sports competition is keen. Through the years, many athletes have been part of the Games and moved on to national, international and Olympic competition. Games' alumni include world champions, Olympic gold medallists, college and high school All-Americans, professional athletes in the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL - as well as figure skaters, skiers, soccer players and many more.

But for every Olympic Dream Team member (we have two) there are thousands of athletes for whom the Empire State Games may be the pinnacle of their athletic career. And that is what makes these Games so special.

The Empire State Games, the largest competition of its kind in the nation, is a multi-sport event for amateur athletes, patterned after the Olympic program. Athletes must be residents of the State of New York. Following competition (Regional Trials) in each of six regions of New York State, winners numbering some 6,000 will participate in finals competition.

• Encourage wholesome athletic competition among the residents of New York State, particularly the youth;
• Foster incentive for the improvement of amateur athletics in New York State;
• Develop public recognition of the dedicated amateur athlete.

The EMPIRE STATE GAMES competition is a program of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, is a member of the National Congress of State Games, and is a recognized State Games Program of the United States Olympic Committee.

Participants enter the Games at the Regional Level by completing an entry form. All participants must attend a Regional Trial to qualify for the Finals; there is no post entry for any finals event. There are no entry fees for the Open and Scholastic Divisions, and with the exception of Boxing and Cycling, membership in any National Governing Body is not required. Participants are responsible for their own medical costs; membership in a Governing Body of a sport may provide medical coverage. Coverage by Governing Bodies varies by sport, and participants should check with their Governing Body to determine if the event they wish to participate in has received the necessary sanction by the Games.

Preliminary competitions (Regional Trials), leading to the finals will be held in each of the six Games' Regions during the spring and early summer of 2001. Finalists will meet in the host area to represent their Region. Once a participant qualifies at the Regional level, the cost of uniforms, transportation (via regional buses from various locations around the state), meals and lodging (at Games' University/College dormitories) is provided at no cost to the athlete. An exception is Rugby where participants must provide for their own housing. Gold, Silver and Bronze medals will be awarded at the finals.

Steve Merren, Chairman, 2001 Empire State Games Local Organizing Committee

Steve Merren was raised in Albany, Georgia, and received a B.S. in Music and an MBA in Finance from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. His broadcast career began in 1972 at ABC in New York, and he worked in sales at local stations in San Antonio and Dallas. Steve was a representative for Blair Television and MMT Sales in Los Angeles, and for nine years was General Sales Manager and Program Director at KWCH-TV, the CBS affiliate in Wichita, Kansas.

Steve moved to Utica in April, 1992 to become Vice-President and General Manager at WKTV where he has an ownership role. He is an accomplished pianist, flutist, and actor; and is married with two daughters, Lisa, age 23, and Jennifer, age 20. Jennifer is a junior at Indiana University. Lisa is a second year law student at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. . Steve’s wife, Judy, is a veteran Special Education Teacher in her eighth year at Rome Free Academy.

Steve has performed as flute soloist with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra, the Semi-Valley California Community Orchestra, the Albany Symphony Orchestra and the Indiana University Wind Ensemble. He has also enjoyed an outstanding acting career in musical comedy with productions of "1776" with the Wichita Music Theater and most recently, he has appeared with Stage II Productions in Central New York.

Over the past (8) seasons, Steve has acted and sung in "The Music Man," "Bye, Bye, Birdie," "Carousel," "Anything Goes," "The Sound of Music," "Me And My Girl," and "Oklahoma." He also appeared with the Utica Symphony Orchestra in March, 1999 performing the Mozart Flute & Harp Concerto.

Steve serves on the Board of Directors of the Utica Symphony Orchestra and St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Utica.

For more information, please contact James C. Brown, MPA, Director of Operations for the Empire State Games LOC2001 at (315) 736-8943 or email him at jimbrown@borg.com.