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ITHF Presents Chairman’s Award

August 17, 2010

NEWPORT, R.I. — International Tennis Hall of Fame Chairman Christopher E. Clouser recently presented the prestigious Chairman’s Award to Douglas R. Conant, president and CEO of Campbell Soup Company and to the United States Tennis Association. The Chairman’s Award recognizes outstanding service toward supporting the International Tennis Hall of Fame in its mission of preserving the history of tennis, inspiring and encouraging junior tennis development, enshrining tennis heroes and heroines and providing a landmark for tennis enthusiasts worldwide. The award was presented during the annual Hall of Fame Weekend in July.

Douglas R. Conant joined the Board of Directors of the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum in 2003. He has been instrumental in the growth of the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, an ATP World Tour event and Hall of Fame Weekend, an annual event which is highlighted by the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Complementing their partnership with the Hall of Fame, Conant and the Campbell Soup Company are ardent supporters of the Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis & Education Program in Philadelphia, Penn., which uses tennis as a platform for teaching a diverse cross-section of young people how to make positive choices in their lives, remain in and succeed in school, reject violence and other risky behaviors, and grow into active, responsible and productive citizens. In July, Conant and Campbell Soup Company provided an opportunity for a group of children from the program to travel to Newport, R.I. for an overnight trip in which they played on the grass courts of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, toured the Museum, viewed professional tennis, met players from the ATP World Tour and visited other area attractions.

“We are grateful for the time and effort that Doug has put into supporting the International Tennis Hall of Fame, as well as into growing interest in the game of tennis while providing positive opportunities for deserving kids,” said Clouser. “While we are indebted to Doug for his work as a member of the Board of Directors, this award is an opportunity to recognize him for the important philanthropic work that he fosters via tennis, which is vital to the growth and future of the game.”

Conant was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Campbell Soup Company in January 2001. He also was elected a Director of the company at that time. Under Conant’s leadership, Campbell has reversed a precipitous decline in market value and employee engagement. Conant joined Campbell with 25 years of extensive food industry experience from three of the world’s leading food companies: General Mills, Inc., Kraft, and Nabisco. A native of Chicago, Conant earned his B.A. degree from Northwestern University and his master’s degree in business administration from the J.L. Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern. In addition to his work with the Hall of Fame, Conant is Chairman and Trustee of The Conference Board and a member of the Board of Directors of the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP).

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) has been a pro-active partner since the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s inception. The two organizations have worked together on numerous projects including player and junior development, collection of historic memorabilia, extensive cross marketing programs to heighten interest and awareness for tennis, and numerous joint events.

“Under the USTA administrations of Lucy Garvin, Jane Brown Grimes, Franklin Johnson, Alan Schwartz and their predecessors, the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the USTA have developed a mutually beneficial partnership that has been vital in working toward our shared goals of advancing the game of tennis,” said Clouser. “Through this partnership, the USTA has shown their support for the Hall of Fame’s mission over and over again. The USTA is a valued partner and is truly deserving of this award.”

In accepting the Chairman’s Award on behalf of the United States Tennis Association, President Garvin said that “the relationship between the USTA and the International Tennis Hall of Fame is long standing and continues to grow. The history of the game must be preserved and the ITHF does an outstanding job of doing so.”

The USTA is the national governing body for the sport of tennis and the recognized leader in promoting and developing the sport’s growth on every level in the United States, from local communities to the crown jewel of the professional game, the US Open. Established in 1881, the USTA is a progressive and diverse not-for-profit organization whose volunteers, professional staff, and financial resources support a single mission: to promote and develop the growth of tennis. The USTA is the largest tennis organization in the world, with 17 geographical sections, more than 700,000 individual members and 7,000 organizational members, thousands of volunteers, and a professional staff dedicated to growing the game.

Located in Newport, Rhode Island, the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum offers an extensive museum that chronicles the history of the sport and honors the game’s greatest legends, historic grass tennis courts that date back to 1880 and are open to the public, an ATP World Tour tournament and the annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in July, and numerous public events year-round. To learn more, visit tennisfame.com.