March 22, 2001
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The College Golf Foundation recently announced the nomination of Bronco supporter and 1982 Santa Clara graduate Ernie Moreno as a candidate for the 2001 Rolex Achievement Award.
The Rolex Achievement Award was created to honor past collegiate varsity golfers who, upon graduation, have achieved excellence in a chosen profession and, in doing so, have made a contribution to society.
Since 1993, Moreno has been owner of Moreno & Associates, Inc., a contract cleaning management company in San Jose. He has been a member of Santa Clara University's Board of Fellows since 1996 and became involved with the San Jose Rotary International last year. Additionally, Moreno has been a past board member for the Adult & Child Guidance Center and the Easter Seals of the Bay Area organizations.
Moreno joined the Adult & Child Guidance Center in 1988 and is described by board executive Bart A. Charlow as "the kind of guy we were all looking for--an educated and articulate man with a commitment to community service that went right down to his boots."
He continued, "As well as being a great golfer, Ernie's a terrific spokesman for the most vulnerable people in our community, for the charitable heart of business, and for excellence in personal and professional activities. I couldn't have asked for a harder working, more useful, and delightful community volunteer than Ernie."
Past men's winners of the Rolex Achievement Award include: Mark McCormack (William & Mary '51), founder, Chairman and CEO of IMG, Captain David Leestma (US Naval Academy '71), NASA Director of Flight Crew Operations, and Dan Quayle (DePauw '69), former vice-president.
Moreno received the Edward Alvarez Scholarship to attend Santa Clara and played golf for the Broncos under head coach Morry Goldner in 1979 and continued through 1982 under Chris Bitticks. He received a bachelor's degree in psychology in 1982. He and his wife Stacie have two daughters and a son.
"Through the game of golf, I was introduced to my closest friends," Moreno said. "Should I never play another stroke, I will always be grateful to the impact college golf made in my life and the friends it brought me."
The 2001 winners will by honored by Rolex and the CGF at a special award presentation scheduled to take place at the Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla., on June 10. The award recipient will receive a specially engraved Rolex timepiece, presented personally by Arnold Palmer, and their alma mater's golf program will receive a $2,500 donation from Rolex Watch USA.
The College Golf Foundation, funded with corporate support by Rolex Watch USA, was created to help raise the public awareness of men's and women's collegiate golf while directly contributing to the growth of the sport.
