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International Tennis Hall
of Fame to honor 2012 Inductees at
The Legends Ball in New York City on September 7
The gala celebration is a premier social
event during the US Open and serves as a benefit for the
Hall of Fame. The event will pay tribute to 2012 inductees
Jennifer Capriati, Guga Kuerten, Manuel Orantes, Mike
Davies, and Randy Snow, and will feature special
recognitions for additional people and businesses who have
made significant contributions to growing the sport of
tennis.
During one of the most exciting weekends of the tennis calendar, US Open
finals weekend, the International Tennis Hall of Fame &
Museum will once again add to the festivities with The
Legends Ball, a gala event to be held on Friday, September 7
at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. The Legends Ball
will pay tribute to the Hall of Fame Class of 2012, which
features former world No. 1's Jennifer Capriati and Guga
Kuerten, as well as Spanish tennis great Manuel Orantes,
tennis industry innovator and promoter Mike Davies,
and wheelchair tennis star Randy Snow, who will be
inducted posthumously.
Proceeds of The Legends Ball, which has been held annually
since 1980, will benefit the International Tennis Hall of
Fame & Museum in the mission to preserve the history of the
game, honor the legends of tennis, and inspire the future of
the sport. The Legends Ball will be co-chaired by Guillaume
de Ramel, of Newport, R.I., a real estate investor and
director of F.H. Prince & Co., and his wife, Molly; Todd
Traina, an independent film producer from San Francisco, and
his wife, Katie; and Gene Yoon of Seoul, South Korea, who is
the chairman and CEO of Fila Korea Ltd. In addition to
co-chairing The Legends Ball, Mr. de Ramel, Mr. Traina, and
Mr. Yoon all serve on the Board of Directors of the
International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum, having joined
the Board in September 2011.
As a premier social event during the US Open, The Legends
Ball annually draws a who's who of the tennis community,
including the new inductees, Hall of Fame tennis legends,
industry leaders, celebrity tennis fans, and tennis
enthusiasts. The evening will feature tributes for the new
inductees, as well as additional award presentations,
dinner, live entertainment, and an auction featuring an
array of exclusive experiences and valuable items.
Reservations for The Legends Ball are now being accepted and
may be made by contacting Meredith Forts at
mforts@tennisfame.com
or 401-619-4604.
"We encourage tennis fans who will be in New
York City during the US Open to join us for an unforgettable
celebration of tennis to honor the new Hall of Fame
inductees and to support our mission to preserve the history
of the sport," said Christopher E. Clouser, chairman of the
International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum. "I would also
like to extend our appreciation to our co-chairs, Guillaume
and Molly de Ramel, Todd and Katie Traina, and Gene Yoon,
whose support will make The Legends Ball an enjoyable,
successful night
for all who attend."
Guillaume de Ramel was born in France, but resides in
Newport, R.I. He is an independent investor, director of F.H.
Prince LLC and trustee of the de Ramel Foundation. His
foundation is committed to children and health; among many
interests, and his organization founded RhodySquash,
building the first successful urban squash program in the
state. de Ramel serves as chairman of Newport Hospital's F.H.
Prince Memorial Fund, and Rhode Island Hospital's Advisory
Committee for the Norman Prince Neurosciences Institute.
Active in politics, de Ramel was named one of "25 Movers and
Shakers" by Rhode Island Monthly magazine during his run for
Secretary of State. Most recently, he was appointed by
Governor Lincoln Chafee to Rhode Island's Coastal Resources
Management Council, a quasi-judicial agency that is
responsible for the preservation, protection, development,
and restoration of coastal areas in the state. de Ramel
earned a master's degree in real estate development from
Columbia University and he graduated from Hobart and William
Smith College, with a bachelor's degree in architectural
studies. de Ramel, his wife Molly, a former Fox News Channel
reporter, and their two children are avid squash and tennis
players.
Todd Traina is an independent film producer and founder of
Red Rover Films. Some of the feature films Traina has
produced over the last 15 years include: "What Maisie Knew"
with Julianne Moore; "Goats" with David Duchovny and Vera
Farmiga; "Another Happy Day" starring Demi Moore, Kate
Bosworth, Ellen Barkin, Thomas Hayden Church and Ellen
Burstyn; "The Romantics" starring Katie Holmes, Anna Paquin,
Josh Duhamel, Malin Akerman, Candice Bergen, Adam Brody and
Elijah Wood; and "Morning" starring Jeanne Tripplehorn,
Laura Linney, Elliott Gould and Leland Orser. Traina also
produced the feature films "Archie's Final Project," "Blood
& Bone," "Night Train," "What We Do Is Secret," "Stanley's
Gig" and the popular documentary "Punk's Not Dead."Many of
Traina's films have played or garnered awards at top film
festivals including Sundance, Berlin and SXSW. In 2007,
Traina was named a "Top Ten Producer to Watch" by Daily
Variety. Traina began his career with producer Douglas
Cramer at NBC Productions working on the Danielle Steel
Movies of the Week. In addition to film production, he has
developed real estate, owned or partnered in a number of
successful Hollywood restaurants and is a partner in Mombo
LLC, a Northern California investment company. Traina
recently co-founded Social Media Productions, which develops
and creates on-line games, programming, shows and webisodes.
Traina serves on several boards including the San Francisco
Film Society and the Vision of Hope Advisory Board, which
serves and funds eight California inner city schools. Traina
is a graduate of Connecticut College and was born and raised
in San Francisco where he lives with his wife Katie and
daughter Daisy. Traina and family are long-time Newport
summer residents and are all active in the preservation and
support of
the community.
Gene Yoon is the chairman and CEO of Fila
Korea Ltd. and has been associated with the Fila brand since
the early 1980's when he served as the company's first
footwear sourcing agent in Korea. In 1991, Yoon launched a
subsidiary in Korea for Fila's Italian owners and quickly
turned Korea into one of most successful markets for the
Fila brand. Today Fila Korea operates through a network of
over 850 franchise stores. In 2005, Yoon led a management
buyout of the Korean subsidiary from Sports Brands
International (a holding company of Cerberus Capital
Management) and entered into a long-term license for the
Fila brand. In 2007, Yoon fulfilled a life-long dream and
acquired the worldwide operations and trademark rights of
the Fila brand making him the first Korean entrepreneur to
acquire a global brand. Following the acquisition, Yoon used
his vast experience to develop a long-term licensing model
with direct operations in the key Korean and US markets and,
as a result, has revived the Fila brand and increased brand
revenues around the world. In 2010, Yoon led the initial
public offering of Fila Korea on the Korean Stock Exchange (KRX),
one of the most successful IPO's in the history of the
exchange. In May 2011, Yoon led a consortium of Korean
investors in the winning bid for the acquisition of the
Acushnet Company, one of the largest golf equipment
companies in the world, which includes the premium and
storied brands Titleist, the #1 ball in golf and a leader in
high performance golf clubs, and FootJoy, the #1 shoe,
glove, and performance outerwear brand
in golf.
Prior to founding Fila Korea, Yoon was the
president of LINE IND. Corporation as well as the Daewoon
Trading Company. Early in his career, Yoon worked with
Hwasung Company, Ltd., and JCPenny. Yoon has been the
executive vice chairman of Korea International Trade
Association (KITA) since 2009 and was awarded the Chevalier
of the Order of the Merit of the Italian Republic in 2008
and named Honorary Citizen of Biella, Italy in 2010. He has
received several awards for his outstanding business
management including the Korea-Europe Top Management Award
from Korean Society Contemporary of European Studies and the
Professional Management Award from the Korea Academy of
Business Historians, and the President's Awards on National
Taxpayer's Day in 1998 and 2007. Yoon holds a bachelor's
degree in Political Science & Diplomacy from Hankook
University of Foreign Studies.
In addition to the Hall of Fame Class of
2012, The Legends Ball will honor several additional people
and organizations who have contributed greatly to tennis by
presentation of the Eugene L. Scott Award and the Joseph F.
Cullman 3rd Award. Given annually in memory of the late
founder and publisher of Tennis Week magazine, the Scott
Award is presented to an individual who embodies his
commitment to communicating honestly and critically about
the game, and who has had a significant impact on the tennis
world. The Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Award honors an exceptional
company that shares Joe Cullman's enthusiasm for tennis and
has also made a significant contribution to society at large
- both philanthropically and through outstanding generosity
of spirit. Cullman served as president and chairman of the
International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum from 1982-88, a
tenure during which the organization was elevated to
worldwide recognition. The award recipients will be
announced at a later date.
For tickets, sponsorship opportunities, or to learn more
about The Legends Ball, contact Meredith Forts at
mforts@tennisfame.com
or 401-619-4604.
About the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum
Established in 1954, the International Tennis Hall of Fame &
Museum is a non-profit institution dedicated to preserving
the history of tennis, inspiring and encouraging junior
tennis development, providing a landmark for tennis
enthusiasts worldwide, and enshrining tennis heroes and
heroines with the highest honor in the sport of tennis-
induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. In
1986, the International Tennis Federation, the governing
body of tennis, officially recognized the International
Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum as the sport's official Hall of
Fame. The Hall of Fame is located in Newport, Rhode Island,
USA, on a six-acre property that features an extensive
Museum chronicling the history of the sport and honoring the
220 Hall of Famers; 13 grass tennis courts and an indoor
tennis facility that are open to the public and to a club
membership; a rare Court Tennis facility; and an historic
297-seat theatre. Annually in July, the venue hosts the
Campbell's Hall of Fame Tennis Championships for the Van
Alen Cup, an ATP World Tour event. The buildings and
grounds, which were constructed in 1880 by McKim, Mead &
White to serve as a social club for Newport's summer
residents, are renowned for their incredible architecture
and preservation. The facility was designated a National
Historic Landmark in 1987. The International Tennis Hall of
Fame & Museum is supported by Official Partners including
BNP Paribas, Campbell Soup Company, Chubb Personal
Insurance, Kia Motors and Rolex Watch USA. For information
on the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum and its
programs, call 401-849-3990 or visit us online at
www.tennisfame.com .
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