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Walter Bush's influence on the sport of hockey can be seen from the highest levels of the game down to the grassroots level. THE BUSH FILE Some of the most significant achievements, awards and honors in the hockey career of Walter L. Bush, Jr. Manages the U.S. National Team that participates in the IIHF World Championship in Prague, Czechoslovakia Serves as owner and president of the minor-league Minneapolis Bruins and Wm. Thayer Tutt, whom he would eventually succeed as USA Hockey President. He soon attended an AHAUS meeting in Duluth, Minn., and it started a relationship that would forever change the course of hockey in America. Bush quickly hit it off with men such as pioneering administrator Walter Brown, international hockey guru Robert Ridder It was by pure accident in 1956 that Bush would find his true calling in life – as a hockey executive. "As the only lawyer on the team I was asked to find out why we were paying two percent of our gate receipts to an organization called the Amateur Hockey Association of the United States (today known as USA Hockey)," remembers Bush with a laugh. All the while Bush had maintained his ties with AHAUS in a profound way. He was instrumental in the famous 1980 "Miracle On Ice" performance by the U.S. at the Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid, N.Y. Bush served as a member of the team's selection committee leading up to what Sports Illustrated called the century's "Greatest Sports Moment." Leads a group of businessmen in securing an NHL franchise — the Minnesota North Stars — for the Twin Cities area Receives NHL's Lester Patrick Trophy in recognition of his outstanding service to ice hockey in the United States Enshrined in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth, Minn. Inducted into the Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame Named president of The USA Hockey Foundation In 1986, Bush was elected only the third president of USA Hockey, a role he held until 2003. Through his work with USA Hockey Bush served as the chair on a number of IIHF committees through the years, including the women's, inline and IIHF Hall of Fame commit- tees – while carrying out his responsibilities as a vice president of the organization. Becomes a principal owner of the American Hockey League's Kentucky Thoroughblades Following the first-ever IIHF Women's World Championship in 1990 in Ottawa, Ontario, Bush brought a videotape of the action to a women's council meeting. While some members were impressed with what they saw, others wondered if the films were sped up. Less than 10 years later, Bush was on hand in Nagano, Japan, to witness the U.S. bring home the first women's ice hockey gold medal in Olympic history. The accolades followed as quickly as items on his hockey resume. Bush was elected to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 1980 and to Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame in 1989. He was the first "grass roots American" to win the Lester Patrick Trophy in 1973; and was enshrined into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto in 2000. In 2002, Bush was honored as recipient of the Olympic Order, the highest individual honor in international athletics. "I just don't ever see the time when I divorce myself from hockey," Bush once said. One of 11 members of the International Ice Hockey Federation Council, he is re-elected to a second consecutive term as a vice president of the IIHF A member of the USOC board of directors and secretary of the U.S. Olympic Foundation, he receives The Olympic Shield Award Re-elected to fifth consecutive term as USA Hockey president Inducted into Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto Receives the Olympic "I will always serve in some capacity with USA Hockey. My kids and grandkids have gone through the USA Hockey program. And nearly all of my friends, if you look at it, come from the hockey world." N Order, the highest honor from the International Olympic Committee 2002 2003 2000 1999 USA Hockey dedicates its national headquarters as The Walter L. Bush, Jr. Center. Named among top 100 Minnesota sports personalities over the last century by the Minneapolis Star Tribune Steps down as USA Hockey president and assumes the role as chairman of the board. 1980 1986 1989 1990 1995 1996 1998 1959 1961-63 1963-65 1964 1966 1966-78 1973 Named a member of the USA Hockey board of directors Serves as president of the Minnesota Amateur Hockey Association Named general manager of the U.S. Olympic Team at the IX Olympic Winter Games in Innsbruck, Austria Guides the North Stars as the first team president, before becoming chairman of the board Serves on selection committee for U.S. Olympic Team prior to "Miracle On Ice" performance Elected president of USA Hockey, following Wm. Thayer Tutt (1972-86) and Tom Lockhart (1937-72) Instrumental in organizing the first IIHF Women's World Championship in Ottawa, Ontario, setting up the eventual debut of women's hockey in the Olympic Winter Games Leads charge to set-up first- ever IIHF In-Line Hockey World Championship in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn. Serves as special assistant to United States Olympic Committee President Bill Hybl for the U.S. Delegation at the XVIII Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan USA Hockey 75TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE PROGRAM 45