On April 14, 2007, Chicago 2016 launched its international efforts to bring the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games to Chicago. We have had a very busy summer organizing our group and remaining top of mind for both local Chicagoans and the international community at-large.

We recently celebrated the one-year-out anniversary of the Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which has only fueled the enthusiasm to bring the greatest of sporting events to our home town.

Our efforts, in tandem with our partners at the USOC, have given us great insight into the work that lies ahead. But I’d also like to take a moment to thank all of those who have been supportive of our work since the beginning. We could not have made it this far without all of you.

We look forward to sharing more great news as we travel the road to 2009.

Chicago 2016 has taken the City by storm this summer, conducting a road-show of talent to various business, civic and philanthropic organizations in and around Chicago.

Chicago 2016 has also taken part in several of Chicago’s major summer events including the Taste of Chicago, Fourth of July parades throughout the Chicagoland area, the Disability Pride Parade, the 78th Annual Bud Billiken Parade, and the one-year out celebration for the Beijing 2008 Games, among many others.

Quick stats from the Taste of Chicago:

• 3.5 Million Visitors to Taste of Chicago
• More than 750 participants signed up to volunteer for Chicago 2016 events.

Look for Chicago 2016 at these upcoming events!

• Taste of Polonia, August 31 - September 3
• Showplace Fall Classic - Illinois Hunter / Jumper Equestrian Finals, September 19-23
• Annual Family Fitness Walk, September 22
• Fall Dressage Area Finals, September 27-30
• LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, October 7
• Columbus Day Parade, October 13
• Magnificent Mile Lights Festival, November 17

Please contact info@chicago2016.org with any questions regarding upcoming events.

Chicago 2016 began its immersion into the international sports community by sending a delegation, led by Mayor Daley and Pat Ryan, to the 2007 Pan American Games and Parapan American Games in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. The trip this summer allowed the group to observe the full-scale operations and logistic challenges necessary to support the high-caliber U.S. and international athletes competing at such a prestigious event.

The delegation had an opportunity to visit a number of the City’s new venues and some of its most iconic, like Maracanã stadium, host of the opening ceremonies of the Pan American Games. The true celebration was in unity and sport, an opportunity to share the spirit and ideals of the Olympic Movement.

The trip, a great success, shared with the Chicago delegation the work ahead. The group returned enthusiastic to continue the journey towards securing the honor to host the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Chicago 2016 announced a series of new hires at the end of June, including David P. Bolger as chief operating officer (COO) and Rick Ludwig as chief financial officer (CFO).

Bolger currently serves as chief financial officer and chief administrative officer of Aon Corporation, a global provider of risk management services, human resources consulting, and specialty insurance underwriting. Prior to joining Aon, Bolger served in various senior management roles within Bank One Corporation and its predecessor companies, including First Chicago Corporation and American National Bank & Trust Company of Chicago. He will join Chicago 2016 on a full time basis pending transition of his Aon duties to a successor.

Ludwig, a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) 2010 Evaluation Commission team, served as the senior financial planning executive for Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000. He has worked with several Organizing Committees for the Olympic Games, Olympic bids and the IOC’s Olympic Games Knowledge Services. He is the primary author of the IOC’s bid guidelines on building and justifying an operating budget for the Games.

In addition, the USOC added two senior staff members to the Chicago 2016 office to ensure a seamless, cohesive partnership between the bid committee and the USOC. Chris Sullivan has been named USOC chief bid officer and Kimberly Meyer has been named USOC senior bid director.

Chicago 2016 also announced several additional senior staff appointments:

• John J. Murray. Chief of Bid Operations
• Kevann Cooke. Chief Ethics and Governance Officer
• Linda Mastandrea, Paralympic Medalist (1996). Vice President of Sport and Accessibility
• Gyata Kimmons. Director of Community Relations
• Patricia Rios. Director of Finance and Administration

Just prior to Aug. 8, 2007 – the one-year mark to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games – the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) released its new positioning statement, “amazing awaits,” in order to celebrate and strengthen the unique attributes and values of the U.S. Olympic Team brand. The positioning statement embodies the journey and the dream of U.S. Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, as well as the spirit of all Americans.

The brand launch included an unveiling during the Aug. 8 airing of NBC’s Today Show, the activation of a microsite at www.amazingawaits.org complete with the “amazing awaits” video and music, and full-page advertisements in major national publications.

The positioning that supports “amazing awaits” was born through the collaborative efforts of the USOC, U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes, National Governing Body personnel and USOC corporate partners. Numerous USOC corporate partners have expressed their enthusiasm for the new brand positioning, as well as their intention to incorporate the “amazing awaits” positioning in their promotions and marketing leading up to the 2008 Olympic Games.

Chicago will welcome the greatest amateur boxers in the world to our country less than one year before the Beijing Games. The World Boxing Championships, hosted by World Sport Chicago, will double as the first qualification tournament for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Chicago will host more than 600 athletes from 118 countries over 11 days. The World Boxing Championships will take place October 23 through November 3, 2007 at the University of Illinois – Chicago Pavilion. Tickets will go on sale in early September.

About World Sport Chicago

The mission of World Sport Chicago (WSC) is to enhance the image, awareness, and participation in Olympic, Paralympic, and amateur sports across Chicago with the goal of giving all athletes the opportunity to see and experience sport across all levels. Through clinics, exhibitions, seminars and exchange programs, WSC gives kids an opportunity to pursue their athletic dreams. WSC’s programs also include hosting demonstrations and international events to allow kids the opportunity to learn directly from world athletes.

About the International Boxing Association

The International Boxing Association (AIBA) is a non-profit international organization, which was founded under the name Fédération Internationale de Boxe Amateur (FIBA) in 1920. In 1946 a new start was given with the launch of AIBA to replace the dissolved FIBA and now, more than 60 years later, AIBA, with its 195 member federations, continues to govern the sport of Boxing, working for the benefit of the sport and all its participants, to help Boxing realize its potential within the Olympic Movement and the international sporting arena. For more information please visit www.aiba.org.

About USA Boxing

USA Boxing, as the national governing body for Olympic-style boxing, is the United States’ member organization of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA). As a national governing body, USA Boxing is responsible for the administration, development and promotion of Olympic-style boxing in the United States. USA Boxing is a non-profit organization and is thus overseen by a Board of Directors. For more information visit www.usaboxing.org.

Shawn Johnson is keeping her focus despite her rapid rise to the top of women’s artistic gymnastics. The 15-year-old from West Des Moines, Iowa, led the talented squad at the 2007 Pan American Games when she captured four gold medals and one silver.

“Having the Tyson American Cup under my belt helped me at Pan Ams,” Johnson said. “It helped to know that I could compete as a senior.”

The 2007 American Cup champion won the junior national title only a year ago. Now Johnson added more titles to her name while competing at the 2007 Visa National Championships in San Jose, CA. She took home the overall Championship as well as individual titles on the beam and floor exercise while placing third on the uneven bars.

“Knowing there are worlds coming up helps you to do better,” she said.

Johnson joins 2005 uneven bars and beam world champion Nastia Liukin and 2005 floor exercise world champion Alicia Sacramone on the seven-member team at her first world championships to be held in Stuttgart, Germany, Sept. 1–9.

She also recognizes the Olympic Games are just a year away.

“I try not to think about the date too much,” said Johnson, who trains at Chow’s Gymnastics and is coached by Liang Chow and Liwen Zhuang. “Every time I do, I get so excited.”

Johnson isn’t spending time visiting Beijing’s venues and researching the city’s Olympic plan online.

“I want it to be a surprise,” she said. “Not looking at it motivates me to get there.”

Doug Forbis, a 21-year-old University of Illinois senior, competes in his first Para-Pan American Games this month. He placed sixth in the 100 meters T53 division final in 16.14, fifth in the 200m T53 final in 28.58, and totaled 58.43 for fourth in the 400m T53 final.

He’s been working for this for years. Not only is Forbis competed in the Para-Pan Am Games; but he is also a hopeful for the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing.

Forbis has been a member of the University of Illinois wheelchair track team for the past three years but track was not his first sport. His athletic endeavors began when he was a young boy in his hometown of Spartanburg, South Carolina. Forbis describes going into a store to buy a new wheelchair. While there, someone suggested that Forbis try out for a new wheelchair basketball league. Forbis looked at his mother. “It’s worth a shot, right?”

The next week, Forbis made the team and never stopped training. Forbis added swimming and track and field when he reached seventh grade. Forbis says his proudest moment was in 2003 when he made a 19-and-under Wheelchair Sport USA team that competed in Australia.

Forbis lived most of his life in Spartanburg before he moved to Champaign for college. As a result, he experienced first-hand how Olympic and Paralympic Games affect a community. During the 1996 Atlanta Games, Forbis witnessed both the “tourism and economy boost it gives to the [surrounding areas and the] certain morale and pride boost [because] everyone is in a better mood when we can unify over sports.