Sommer, who is the proprietor of five bowling centers in Illinois and two in Ohio, is a director of the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America. He is credited, along with Commissioner John Falzone, of founding the Ladies Pro Bowlers Tour which operates today as the Professional Women's Bowling Association, the premier women's professional bowling group. Sommer spearheaded a drive to make high school bowling a letter sport in Northern Illinois. He succeeded in 1994 and now travels the country speaking on the subject of high school bowling. The Mort Luby Sr.
Award is presented for excellence in bowling journalism.
Vint has been editor of Bowling Magazine since 1991. After a newspaper career in Orlando, Fla., and Rockford, Ill., Vint was marketing and public relations director for the Ladies Pro Bowlers Tour for nine years. He also is the co-founder of the Chicago Windy City Bowling News and Sleeping Dogs Commimications public relations and publishing company. The Rip Van Winkle Award is presented for an achievement in the sport of bowling 20 or more years ago. Baca was named the first lane maintenance director of the Professional Bowlers Association in 1971.