Jude honored with the Golden Achievement Award
December 16, 2013
NEWPORT, R.I. — The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) have presented the 2014 Golden Achievement Award to David Jude, a longtime volunteer leader in the tennis community who served as Honorary Treasurer of the ITF for 37 years. The Golden Achievement Award is presented annually to an individual who has made important contributions internationally to tennis in the fields of administration, promotion or education, and who has devoted long and outstanding service to the sport. Jude, who recently retired from the ITF, was honored with the award at an ITF function in London last week. The award was presented by ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti and Jane Brown Grimes, president emerita of the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Jude has been highly active in the governance of the ITF since 1977. He also served as Chairman of the Finance and Audit Committee from 1991 – 2013, and on the Remuneration Committee and the Recognition and Reward Committee. Jude has always been dedicated to efforts to develop and promote tennis internationally. From 2002 – 2013, he served as a Director of the Hopman Cup. A lifelong tennis player, Jude competed at Junior Wimbledon in the 1950s and he is a current member of the All England Lawn Tennis Club.
“David’s contributions in the Finance area and in Hopman Cup have played a critical role in the success of the ITF,” said ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti. “While he may have been a behind-the-scenes leader, his commitment to tennis has always been unwavering. It is the dedication and hard work of volunteers like David all over the world that helps to grow the sport, and tennis is certainly better for having had his leadership over the past 37 years. David truly embodies the spirit of the Golden Achievement Award. We are grateful for his many years of service and we are pleased to recognize his great contributions to the game with this honor.”
Past recipients of the Golden Achievement Award are Geoff Pollard of Australia (2013); Shamil Tarpischev of Russia (2012); Tim Phillips of the United Kingdom (2011); Heinz Grimm of Switzerland (2010); Peachy Kellmeyer of the United States (2009); Juan Maria Tintore of Spain (2008); Nancy P. Jeffett of the United States (2007); James R. Cochrane of Great Britain (2006); Eiichi Kawatei of Japan (2005); John Curry of Great Britain (2004); J. Howard “Bumpy” Frazer of the United States (2003); Enrique Morea of Argentina (2002); Pablo Llorens Renaga of Spain (2001); Gil de Kermadec of France (2000) and Brian Tobin of Australia (1999).
Nominations for the Golden Achievement Award are submitted by tennis federations and individuals from the around the world, and then voted on by the Golden Achievement Award Committee. For more information, visit tennisfame.com.