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NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State Athletics has announced that the former Scholarship Suite at CEFCU Arena will be renamed the Andy Butler Suite, after it was approved by the Illinois State University Board of Trustees at their most recent meeting.
Thanks to a group of generous donors and friends who raised funds to make it a reality, the suite will be renamed in honor of Butler who was one of seven men who tragically lost their lives in a plane crash on April 7, 2015. The group was returning from Indianapolis, where they witnessed the NCAA men’s basketball championship game the night before. Affectionately remembered as the Redbird 7, the men are honored with a permanent memorial outside the North entrance of CEFCU Arena and with a plaque on the concourse of arena.
“Andy was the ultimate Redbird fan. Everyone knew of his love for the Redbirds and his ability to connect people,” ISU Interim Director of Athletics Dr. Jeri Beggs said. “He showed up for the Redbirds in person at games and events, in his generous contributions, and by spreading the Red. We couldn’t be happier to honor Andy’s Redbird spirit with the naming of the Andy Butler Suite. Generations to come will cheer on the Redbirds in the Andy Butler Suite.”
A 1996 graduate of Illinois State, Butler was an avid Redbird supporter and served as a member of the Illinois State University Athletics Board (now the Weisbecker Athletic Fund). He was a staple at a multitude of ISU athletics events including football, basketball, baseball and golf, and his passion for Redbird Athletics and infectious enthusiasm led to him encouraging everyone he could to get involved with the athletic department and University that he loved.
“It’s been way too long since I’ve seen Andy’s huge smile, but I know he’d be so honored to have a suite in CEFCU Arena named after him,” Butler’s fiancée Jamie Fox said. “Thank you to everyone who made this happen. We are so lucky to have such amazing friends and to have been a part of the Redbird family and Bloomington-Normal community. There’s a saying, ‘A man dies twice: Once when his heart stops beating and once when his name is said for the last time.’ With this generous gift, Andy’s name will continue to be said in a place he loved and was made possible by amazing people he loved even more.”
While not cheering on the Redbirds, Butler was sales manager for Sprint Nextel, where he worked for almost 13 years. He As a national account manager, he served large clients like State Farm, County Financial, and ADM and was honored as a Presidential Council Winner, Top Agent for the State of Illinois, and Sales Culture Award Winner with Sprint Nextel. Butler was very active in the Bloomington-Normal business community as well, as participated in BNI, the McLean County Chamber of Commerce, and was a past board member of the @Midwest social media conference.
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Source link : https://goredbirds.com/news/2024/8/15/general-redbird-athletics-to-rename-suite-at-cefcu-arena-in-honor-of-andy-butler.aspx
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Publish date : 2024-08-15 18:43:44
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