Gene Cato

1992 Silver Medal Award

HIGH SCHOOL:
Oakland (1949)

COLLEGE:
Oakland City College, IU, Butler

Succeeded Ward Brown, in 1983, as 5th Commissioner of IHSAA in its 79 year history…earlier served 24 years in public education at all levels…3-yr starter for Oakland City high school’s basketball team and City College…coached basketball at Chandler, Boonville and Zionsville…principal at Huntingburg…Supt of Schools in Harrison and Jay Counties…with IHSAA, oversaw expansion of football playoffs, and developed state tourney structure in 17 boys and girls sports…negotiated corporate sponsorship agreement with Farm Bureau Insurance, creating an Endowment to fund state tournament competition in non-revenue sports…in ‘90, helped move boys’ state basketball finals to Hoosier Dome, drawing record crowd of 41,000 fans. Deceased.