The College Sports Information Directors of America named Chuck Lee, retired chair and co-CEO of Verizon Communications, winner of the 2008 Dick Enberg Award.

The award honors a person whose actions and commitment have promoted CoSIDA’s Academic All-America program, the student-athlete and the value of higher education. Lee was instrumental in developing and supporting the Academic All-America program and its hall of fame.

“Chuck Lee’s impact on the growth and visibility of the Academic All-America program can not be overstated,” said John Humenik, executive director of CoSIDA. “We in CoSIDA, as well as the Academic All-America program community at large, were so blessed to have a man in his position of authority and responsibility be so personally and passionately involved to the commitment to the core values, mission and advancement of the program.”

Previous Enberg Award recipients include President Ford, Bill Russell, Alan Page, Dean Smith, Tom Osborne and Pat Summitt.