Petermann named WIAC's Tom Butler Award Recipient

Petermann named WIAC's Tom Butler Award Recipient

MADISON, Wis. (blugolds.com) Tim Petermann, who served as the sports information director at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire from 1971-2007, has been named the recipient of the 2019 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Tom Butler Award.

The Tom Butler Award has been presented annually since 1998 to a representative of the print or electronic media for outstanding coverage of WIAC athletics (former WIAC sports information directors may also be considered). The league's sports information directors select the winner. The award is dedicated to Tom Butler, who served the conference faithfully as its sports information director from 1967-96.

Petermann became the school's first full-time sports information director when he graduated in 1971 and remained in that position until his retirement in 2007. In 1977, he became assistant to the athletics director with administrative duties including compliance, event management, fund-raising and the Blugold Hall of Fame. He even spent two years as the interim athletics director (2002-04) and continues to serve as a department consultant.

He organized the state SIDs in 1977 and served as an officer in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) SID organization from 1979-89, including a term as president. He spent 10 years as the NAIA District 14 information director, promoting WIAC schools that dominated district competition.

Petermann was involved in hosting 168 post-season events, including 11 national championships, 81 conference, district, regional, sectional or area tournaments and 76 conference or district playoff games. He was part of the SID evolution from utilizing slide rules, ditto machines and typewriters to computers, the internet and live stats. He has served as a mentor to many in the SID profession and was inducted into the NAIA District 14 Hall of Fame in 1994, UW-Eau Claire Hall of Fame in 2009 and WIAC Hall of Fame in 2012.

He was recognized by the NAIA in 1985 with its Ike Pearson Award as SID of the Year and by the College Sports Information Directors Association in 1999 with selection to its Hall of Fame. He also served on the media staff of the 1983 National Sports Festival in Colorado Springs.

Petermann has been honored by the university with its Professional Academic Staff Excellence Award in 1992 and with the Department of Communication and Journalism's Distinguished Alumni Award in 1995. In 2009, he was cited by the WIAC with a Special Recognition Award.

Petermann earned a bachelor of arts degree in journalism from UW-Eau Claire. He resides in Eau Claire, Wis.