Major Dan Rooney to Receive Headliners Award
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Former Kansas men’s golfer Major Dan Rooney will be presented the Headliners Award from the Tulsa Press Club on Oct. 30.Major Dan Rooney (right) with former KU coach Ross Randall
The Headliners Award is given to an individual of outstanding Tulsa area civic, business, professional and industrial leaders whose unselfish contribution to the growth, prosperity and culture of Tulsa has made headlines across the city. Rooney and Becky J. Frank, Chairman and CEO of Schnake Turnbo Frank, will be the two 2014 honorees.
Rooney played at Kansas from 1992-96. While at KU, the Stillwater, Oklahoma, native had an outstanding senior year which included winning the 1995 Kansas Invitational. As a team, Kansas finished runner-up at the 1996 Big Eight Championship, advanced through the NCAA Central Regional and eventually tied for 16th at the NCAA Championship.
Rooney is a retired F-16 fighter pilot in the Oklahoma National Guard and the founder of the Folds of Honor Foundation. The Folds of Honor is a non-profit organization with a mission statement, “The Folds of Honor is rallying a nation to ensure no family gets left behind in the fight to preserve American freedom. Through scholarships and other assistance, we’re giving back to the spouses and children of soldiers killed or disabled in service to our country. We’re providing healing, hope and an opportunity to realize their dreams with the help of people like you.”
A former PGA professional who remains a member of the USGA, Rooney began a flagship fundraiser that later turned into Patriot Golf Day, where each golfer is encouraged to pay an extra dollar toward the cause when playing a round that day.
Since the beginning of the Folds of Honor in 2007, Rooney has also received many awards including the White House’s Presidential Volunteer Service Award, the Air National Guard’s Distinguished Service Medal, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and the PGA of America’s first-ever Patriot Award. His many decorations for service include the Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Medal, Anti-terrorism Medal, Combat Readiness Medal and Air Expeditionary Medal.
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