JWU’s John Parente Named 2013 James Lynah Recipient from the ECAC

CENTERVILLE, Mass. – John Parente, former Director of Athletics at Johnson & Wales University, has been named as a recipient of the James Lynah Award, Presented by the Eastern College Athletic Conference.  Parente will be honored at the 2013 ECAC Honors Dinner sponsored by Jostens on Sunday, September 29th.

The James Lynah Distinguished Achievement Award is bestowed annually to a maximum of four former ECAC athletic administrators who have achieved outstanding success in their career and have made an unusual contribution in the interest of intercollegiate athletics, the NCAA and the ECAC. 

Parente has been the face of Johnson & Wales University Athletics for nearly two decades.  He began his career at the University's Providence campus in 1995 when he was appointed Sports Information Director. After working his way up through the athletics department, he was named Director of Athletics in 2001, transitioning to Executive Director of Athletics in 2009. In August 2012, Parente stepped down and has since assumed the duties of Assistant Director for Resource Development for Athletics. Under his leadership, Johnson & Wales teams won 29 conference championships and qualified for 20 NCAA Tournaments.

Outside of the University, Parente has been an active member on local and regional committees. He was the commissioner of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) for four years, served on the ECAC Board of Directors from 2006 through 2009 and was named the 2011 GNAC Executive of the Year. In 2011, the Wildcats earned the GNAC Commissioner's Cup in both men's and women's sports for the first time in school history.

Parente has been a member of the American Legion Executive Board since 1986 and is in the Rhode Island American Legion Hall of Fame. Parente was inducted into the Rhode Island High School Baseball Hall of Fame in June, 2004, and has been a part of two national youth baseball governing boards. He is a member of the West Warwick High School Athletic Hall of Fame and the Rhode Island Sportswriters/Sportscasters Hall of Fame.

*Release courtesy of JWU Sports Information Dept.