Robert Dale Morgan

He was born on the 16th of April 1961, the only son of Claude and Patricia VanNoy Morgan. Robert Dale graduated from Canton Pennsylvania High School in 1979 and Penn State University in 1983 with a B.S. in journalism. Upon graduating from Penn State, he was granted a fellowship to the Miller High Life Olympic Training Camp in Colorado Springs, Colorado, which was the springboard to his career in the sporting business profession.

At the conclusion of the fellowship, Robert Dale obtained an internship at the Sun Belt Conference in Tampa, Florida, which led to employment as Director of Sports Information at the University of Tampa, where he remained for two years.

In 1988, Robert Dale joined the ranks of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, which was in the throes of restoring new life to a struggling Peach Bowl. Having served as an Assistant to the Director, he moved into the Executive Director position and turned the Peach Bowl into a corporate-sponsored Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl by increasing attendance and economic stimulus. While at the Chamber of Commerce, he organized and spearheaded the Atlanta Sports Council, an organization devoted to the promotion of sporting events and other entertainment venues to Atlanta.

During the summer Olympics in Atlanta in 1996, for which he prepared, submitted and delivered the required bids to the International Olympic Committee to secure the event for Atlanta, he was proud to announce the baseball games, toiling endlessly to correctly announce the players’ native names.

Moving ever upward in his career, it was in 1998 through 2000, he joined forced with the National Football League, having accepted the position of President and CEO of Metro Atlanta Super Bowl XXVIII Host Committee.

As an avid golfer, he turned his favorite pastime into a new career path by joining the ranks of the PGA Tour as Vice President/Championship Management, a position he held for two years and traveling extensively throughout the country.

It was in 2002 that he was recruited to Houston, Texas, to secure the bid for Houston to host the XXXIV Super Bowl, and he served as President and CEO Houston Super Bowl XXXVII Host Committee. Mr. Morgan was also actively involved in preparing an IROC event, as well as the Senior Olympic Games.

After the events and conclusion of Super Bowl XXXVII, Mr. Morgan formed his own corporation and was the Managing Director of ProActive Consulting Group.

The last big chapter in his career was President and Executive Director 2011 Houston Final Four LOC, held at Reliant Park on the 2nd of April through the 4th of April 2011. He experienced great pride in the success of that event.

Robert Dale Morgan possessed a zest for life, passion for his career, and an infectious smile that will be missed by a myriad of true and loyal friends and acquaintances he made through his life.

Robert Dale was predeceased by his grandparents, Floyd and Dorothy Morgan, and Max and Madeline “Pat” Bellows, all of Canton, Pennsylvania.

He is survived by his father and stepmother, Claude and Carol Morgan; his mother, Patricia A. Stage; his extended family brothers, Irvin Machmer and his wife, Debra, Michael Chopak; his niece, Chelsea Machmer and Jaymes Crane, all of the Canton, Pennsylvania area. He also leaves fraternal aunts, Lois Norton of Forksville, Pennsylvania, Audrey Bedford and her husband, Carl, of Mehoopany, Pennsvylvania, Elaine Morgan of Elmira, New York, Rosanne Morgan of Canton, Pennsylvania, Judy Brown and her husband, Chet, of Ormond Beach, Florida; his uncle, Darwin Morgan and his wife, Donna Lee, of Ithaca, New York; maternal uncle, Robert VanNoy and his wife, Janet, of Mansfield, Pennsylvania; his aunt, Cleone Schweikart and Galen Norton of Odgensburg, Pennsylvania; and several cousins and dear friends.

A memorial service is to be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Thursday, the 2nd of February, in the Sanctuary of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 3471 Westheimer Road in Houston, where the Rev. Justin Coleman is to officiate.

In lieu of customary remembrances, contributions in Robert Dale’s memory may be directed to the Nantz National Alzheimer Center, c/o The Methodist Hospital Foundation, P.O. Box 4384, Houston, TX, 77210-4384.