Photos by Chesapeake Sports Club Members Linda Allen Clifton and Phil Johnson
Our June 9th Luncheon speaker Jack Ankerson has an extensive past with the sports community in Hampton Roads, including the Admirals Hockey team, Mariners Soccer team, ODU Mens/Womens Basketball team, the Norfolk Tides, and numerous media outlets in the area. Jack is very active in the Hampton Roads community and serves on a number of boards including, Norfolk Festevents, Norfolk Convention and Visitor’s Bureau’s Tourism Research and many more.
Jack Ankerson was born and raised in Neenah, Wisconsin. Jack graduated from Ripon College in Ripon, Wisconsin. He was an All-American in both football and basketball and played the #1 position in tennis. Ankerson was a draft choice of the St. Louis Cardinals of the NFL and was inducted into the Ripon College Hall of Fame in 1981. Additionally, he was inducted into the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame in October, 2010. Also, he was named the 2010 Metropolitan Person of the Year in Sports by the Norfolk Sports Club.
Ankerson was an executive with three American Basketball Association teams. He served as Assistant to the President of the Kentucky Colonels. He was General Manager of the San Antonio Spurs where he was named the ABA’s Executive of the Year, and he served as General Manager of the Virginia Squires.
Prior to being named to his present position on February 16, 2000, Jack was the Vice-President of Operations for the Hampton Roads Admirals of the East Coast Hockey League and was General Manager of the Hampton Roads Mariners Soccer Team. Prior to that, Ankerson was the Director of Sales and Broadcasting for the Norfolk Tides. Additionally, Ankerson served as the Program and Sports Director of WTAR Radio. He was also the voice of the Old Dominion Men’s Basketball Team, the Norfolk Tides, and the College Football Scoreboard Show on WTAR. Also, Jack was co-host of the Timeout with Jack and Chic sports program that aired on Cox Cable for almost 6 years. Currently, Jack is the public address voice of the Old Dominion Monarchs and the Lady Monarchs basketball teams at the Constant Convocation Center, and is the public address voice of the Old Dominion football team at Foreman Field. He also is the public address voice of the Norfolk Tides at Harbor Park. Additionally, Jack was an Adjunct Professor of Sports Management at Old Dominion.
Jack is very active in the Hampton Roads community. He serves on a number of boards, including Norfolk Festevents, the Norfolk Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Tourism Research Foundation, the Lincoln-Lane Foundation, the Norfolk Boat Club, the Portsmouth Invitational Basketball Tournament, and he is a Past President of the Norfolk Sports Club. Also, Jack serves on the Honors Court of the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and on the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame Committee. Additionally, he is the Commissioner of the Mallory Country Club Men’s Volleyball League, and is a team captain and player.
Source: About Jack Ankerson