National Senior Games Association (NSGA) was established over three decades ago as a non-profit Multi-Sport Organization Council member of the United States Olympic Committee. NSGA promotes health and wellness for adults age 50 and over through education, fitness and sport. The organization governs the biennial National Senior Games, the largest multi-sport championship event in the world for seniors. NSGA is comprised of 54 Member Games across the U.S., Canada and Mexico that conduct qualifying competition events for the National Senior Games.
1998 Ray Meyer
Former DePaul University basketball coach
1999 The Honorable Virginia Macdonald
Former Illinois State Representative
2000 William Warfield
Grammy-Award-winning bass-baritone
2001 Harry Volkman
Longtime Chicagoland weather forecaster
2002 Art Linkletter
Nationally known radio and television personality
2003 Dr. Joyce Brothers
Psychologist, author, and television personality
2004 Willard Scott
NBC “Today” show weatherman and television personality
2005 Dr. Margaret Taylor Goss Burroughs
Founder of the DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago
2006 Ruth Park
Schaumburg Civic Leader and co-founder of the Schaumburg Business Association
2007 Tom Jaeger
President Emeritus and Consulting Principal of Jaeger, Nickola & Associates Ltd., Architects
2008 Michael Madden
Director of the Schaumburg Township District Library
2009 Robert M. “Bob” Alston
CEO of Friendship Senior Options/Friendship Village
2010 Bill Kurtis and Walter Jacobson
Famed Chicago newsmen
2011 The Alexian Brothers
Catholic Order
2012 Al Larson
Mayor of Schaumburg, Illinois
2013 Merri Dee
Chicago community activist, WGN-TV anchor, author and AARP Illinois State President
2014 Jim Edgar
Former Governor of Illinois
2015 Larry Minnix
President and CEO of LeadingAge
2016 John and Rita Canning
Community leaders and renowned philanthropists
2017 AARP
American Association of Retired Persons
2018 Dr. Robyn I. Stone
Senior Vice President of Research for Leading Age
Since 1900 the 65 and older population has doubled three times.
—Center on Aging