The University of Nebraska Athletic Department is proud to announce JoAnn Martin, chair, president and chief executive officer of Ameritas Life Insurance Corp., is the recipient of the 2012-13 Dr. Barbara Hibner Trailblazer Award. Martin will be presented the award by Pat Logsdon, Nebraska's associate athletic director and senior women's administrator, on the field at the 2012 Spring Football Game on Saturday, April 14.
The Trailblazer Award was first given in 2000 to honor outstanding support and generous contributions to women's athletics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). In 2007, it was renamed the Dr. Barbara Hibner Trailblazer Award in honor of Hibner, a long-time associate athletic director and senior women's administrator and inaugural recipient of the award. Dr. Hibner passed away in March 2007.
Ameritas is a long-time supporter of University of Nebraska athletics, becoming a premier corporate sponsor and official insurance and investment partner of Husker athletics in 2006. This dedicated support has been especially evident in women's sports, where Ameritas has provided major corporate sponsorships for women's basketball and volleyball. This includes being the presenting sponsor of the Ameritas Players Challenge for women's volleyball.
Commenting on the honor, Martin said, "On the behalf of Ameritas and our associates, thank you for this honor. With its focus on the student athlete, we take great pride in the partnership we have with Husker athletics."
"The impact of Ameritas on the Huskers, under the leadership of JoAnn Martin, can only be called tremendous," said Michael Stephens, assistant athletic director for marketing. "Not only does Ameritas support women's athletics through a major corporate sponsorship, but they also do so through their employee's attendance at our games. JoAnn leads by example, attending as many contests as her busy schedule allows. Ameritas' constant and continuous support of the Huskers shows their commitment to community and their support of women in sports."
Martin leads a company that supports all Husker sports, but she personally has gravitated toward women's basketball and volleyball as two of her favorites. The support given by Ameritas has had a positive influence on these women's teams, as the volleyball team ended the year ranked fifth nationally and winning the Huskers first Big Ten Championship, while women's basketball played in its inaugural Big Ten Championship game and also made it to the NCAA National Tournament.
"The support of individuals and local businesses located right here in Lincoln is key to the success of our women's teams," Athletic Director Tom Osborne said. "We greatly appreciate the personal support of JoAnn Martin and the team support provided by Ameritas and its employees."
Past winners of the award, in addition to Hibner, include the Raimondi family in 2001, Ione Bowlin in 2002, the Betty Geis family in 2003, Carol Frost in 2004, Pinnacle Sports Productions in 2005, Dr. Joanne Owens-Nauslar in 2006, current head softball coach Rhonda Revelle in 2007, the Stephen Rohman family in 2008, former NU volleyball head coach Terry Pettit in 2009, the Tom and Mary Hendricks family in 2010, and Dick Herman in 2011.