1st – Todd Skovron, Amateur Athletic Union
As the founder of Blue Silver Sports, LLC (est. 2018) and a dedicated AAU volunteer since 2010, Todd has been at the forefront of organizing a growing list of over 20 events annually. Highlights include his annual AAU Volleyball Grand Prix Weekend, AAU Volleyball Champions League, and AAU Baseball Northeast Travel League, each welcoming over 500 teams. As the newly elected National Director of AAU Baseball, Todd is dedicated to enhancing the sport through the recruitment and support of event operators and by establishing championship events in new markets. Driven by a passion for crafting memorable, high-quality experiences for both attendees and destinations, Todd eagerly anticipates a bustling 2024 and the launch of new events in 2025.
2nd – Hill Carrow, World University Games
Hill Carrow is a North Carolina native with a distinguished career in the sports tourism industry. Hill founded the National Association of Sports Commissions, now known as the Sports Events & Tourism Association (Sports ETA), the national trade association for the sports tourism industry, as well as his state association, the North Carolina Sports Association (NCSA). Hill has led more than 100 championship sports events in over 40 different sports with an overall economic impact of more than half a billion dollars. In recognition of Hill’s leadership of the successful 5-year North Carolina USA bid for the World University Games, he was recognized with President Biden’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Volunteer Community Service. As a veteran of 13 Olympic Games, director of the 1987 U.S. Olympic Festival, and founder of both the State Games of North Carolina and the USA Masters Games, Hill has developed a specialty in major multisport events. In recent years he was a project manager for the Africa Youth Games in Botswana and the Southern Africa Youth Games in Lesotho, and now serves as Chairman & CEO of the FISU World University Games to be held in central North Carolina in July of 2029.
3rd – Larry Thompson, Jr., Grand Slam Sports Tournaments
Larry Thompson, Jr. founded Grand Slam Sports Tournaments 20-years ago in 2004 and will be celebrating their 20th anniversary this season! “The travel baseball industry has grown and changed over the years for sure but we here at Grand Slam continue to strive to put on quality youth baseball events with the philosophy of putting the kids first and foremost!” he said. “This is what I founded the company on and what we continue to do!” After accounting for more than $25 Million dollars in economic impact each year in Bay County and Panama City Beach, Florida, Grand Slam received the Champions of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism award in 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023.
