CAMPBELL NAMED EXECUTIVE-OF-THE-YEAR
The Ontario Junior Hockey League today announced that Rob Campbell (pictured right - photo credit: Kevin Sousa/OJHL Images) of the Oakville Blades has been named the recipient of the 2014-15 OJHL Executive-of-the-Year Award.
The Blades Governor and President, Campbell joined the team in 2012 and has been a driving force behind the club's resurgence, not only within the league, but in reconnecting and once again becoming a community-based organization.
In only three seasons at the helm of the Blades, he has led a shift in organizational philosophy, including the hiring of a new general manager (Mike Daley) and bringing in last season's Executive-of-the-Year, Mike Tarantino, as the Blades' new head coach. Restoring community pride was also high on Campbell's list of priorities and with 14 local residents as members of the club, most in the OJHL, this is clearly evident and has also helped the team be at or near the top of league attendance figures each year. After missing the post-season one year ago, falling to Toronto in a one game final playoff position play-down, the Blades returned to post-season action this year, finishing second in the South Division and third in the South-West Conference.
Campbell has accomplished all this, while also being a league leader in charitable endeavours during his tenure, raising funds for organizations such as Ian Anderson House Hospice, the Oakville Food Bank and the Canadian Cancer Society, of which the Blades have donated more than $65,000 alone. He has also been partially responsible for the Oakville Blades Alumni Foundation that donates annually to the Oakville Food Bank, as well as provides a scholarship for a graduating Blades player to attend a post-secondary institution.
As if running all aspects of the Blades operation wasn't enough, Campbell has been a leader at the Board of Governors table, taking on the responsibility of hosting numerous large-scale events at the state-of-the-art Sixteen Mile Sports Complex. For the past two years, the Blades have stepped-up and successfully hosted the annual OJHL Governors' Showcase weekend with Campbell heading the local organizing committee's efforts, including expanding the event from each team playing one game in 2013 to playing a pair of game's each in 2014. Also this year, Oakville would partner with the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), becoming the first OJHL franchise to host the CJHL Prospects Game, while having one of the top attendance marks in history with more than 1,300 spectators watching the game.
The OJHL Executive-of-the-Year Award is awarded annually to the Executive that is adjudged to have exceeded expectations in his role with the club throughout the course of the regular season, including, but not limited to, President, Vice-President, General Manager, Assistant General Manager and Marketing Executives.
James Richmond of the Aurora Tigers was named runner-up in the OJHL award balloting to Campbell.
The Executive-of-the-Year runner-up for the second consecutive year, Richmond led the Tigers to the OJHL Regular Season Championship after replacing 15 graduating players from the 2013-14 North-East Conference Championship squad. Nationally ranked for much of the season, the Tigers posted a 44-7-0 record for 91 points, the club's highest point total since 2003-04.
The Humanitarian-of-the-Year Award and the Trainer-of-the-Year Award recipients will be announced later this week.
2014-15 OJHL Award Winners
Award Winner Runner-Up
Top Scorer Steve Hladin (GEO) Brady Wiffen (TRE)
Top Goaltender Stefano Durante (COB) Daniel Mannella (OAK)
Executive Rob Campbell (OAK) James Richmond (AUR)
Previous OJHL Executive-of-the-Year Recipients
Award Winner Runner-Up
2013-14 Mike Tarantino (TLP) James Richmond (AUR)
2012-13 Michael Peca (BUF) Greg Walters (GEO)
2011-12 Ken Burrows (STO) Kelly Martin (COB)
