[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Ron-Foxcroft-3.jpg” caption=”Ron Foxcroft”]Ron Foxcroft can rhyme off the reasons why he wants to be part of McMaster's Athletics & Recreation Centre and Stadium project: his affection for McMaster, his desire to help youth, his admiration for the McMaster teams and his love of football. But really, he doesn't need a reason. “I want to, that's been the secret,” he says. “This is not a chore, this is a joy.”

The chairman of Fluke Transportation Group and Fox 40 International Inc. is leading a campaign cabinet of 26 high profile community leaders for a $43-million project that includes the construction of a new athletic and recreation centre and stadium on McMaster's campus.

His enthusiasm rests on the end result. “We're going to help youth in this community,” he says. “We're going to create a link to the community and pride. And we're not only going to have the best athletic programs, we're going to have the best athletic facilities. I can't wait until some of the alumni come back onto campus and see this project.”

Since setting foot on McMaster's basketball court in 1964 to referee the Marauders' basketball team, Foxcroft has achieved a lot. He's had an impressive career as the NCAA's only Canadian basketball referee; he's officiated international basketball games in more than 30 countries, including the gold medal basketball game in the 1976 Montreal Olympics; he was the only Canadian appointee to the National Association of Sports Officials board in the USA; he has been the distinguished citizen of the year for Hamilton and Stoney Creek; has been inducted into several hall's of fame; received an honorary doctor of laws degree from McMaster; and has been named one of the top 10 Canadian entrepreneurs of the decade by Profit magazine.

Perhaps his claim to fame, however, was his invention of the Fox 40 Pea-Less Whistle, sold around the world and sanctioned by all major sporting organizations including the CFL, NFL, the NCAA and NBA.

Now he's ready for his next big victory.

“We have arguably the best athletic programs in the country and without question, our athletic facilities have lagged behind the rest of the country,” he says. “This has really bothered me and I feel this will motivate our youth. I think it will make the alumni feel proud that we have the greatest athletic department and program in the whole country. It's going to create motivation; it's going to create pride; it's going to bring recognition to our university, deservedly, right across North America. I think too it's going to bind us to the community, better than we've ever been bound to the community before.”

Scheduled to open in the fall of 2006, the $30-million Athletics & Recreation Complex will be an addition to the University's existing Ivor Wynne Centre and a future $13-million McMaster stadium will expand the existing Les Prince Field.

Other campaign cabinet members are Mario Frankovich, president and CEO of Burgeonvest Securities Limited; Tony Battaglia, founder, president and CEO of Trade Port International Corporation and president of West Park Developments; Don Bridgman, financial advisor, Assante Capital Management Ltd.; Edward Buffet, chair of McMaster's Board of Governors; Mark Chamberlain, former president of Wescam Inc.; Juliana Child, promotional sales manager, Fox40; Lauren Cuddy, president & CEO of Innovus Research Inc.; Gary Graham, founding partner of Gowling LaFleur Henderson LLP; Don Green, vice-chair of McMaster's Board of Governors; Daniel Haney, financial security advisor, Freedom 55 Financial; Melvin Hawkrigg, McMaster chancellor; Mimmo Lostracco, former vice-president of Atkinson Engineering Inc.; Elizabeth Manganelli, hospital administrator for Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation; Colin Millar, retired Hamilton chief of police; Edward Minich, president and CEO of Otis Canada Inc.; Angelo Mosca, former star CFL player; Patrick O'Hara, general manager, CH Television; Don Pether, president and CEO of Dofasco Inc.; Jagoda Pike, publisher, The Hamilton Spectator; Mark Sazio, lawyer; Lance Trumble, associate broker; Edward Walzak, vice-president of RBC Dominion Securities Inc., Hamilton; Tom Weisz, president of the Effort Trust Company and senior partner of Weisz, Rocchi & Scholes; and Robert Young, owner of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Honorary members are Robert Donaldson, general counsel of Ontario Energy Savings Corporation; Morgan Firestone, grandson of Firestone Tire & Rubber Company founder Harvey Firestone; Ronald Joyce, co-founder of Tim Hortons; and Lynton 'Red' Wilson, chairman of BCE Inc.

The campaign cabinet will make the project a success, Foxcroft says. “We have the best cabinet that you can ever dream of assembling. We got the Michael Jordans of the province on the cabinet.”

On his list of “claims to fame”, Foxcroft is known for the meetings he runs. They start on time, they end on time, and in between, they accomplish a lot.

“Our meetings will be not many and they will start at 7:28 a.m. and will finish 59 minutes later and I'll tell ya, they'll be productive, motivating, fun, and pleasurable to all members of the cabinet,” he says. “Every cabinet member is achievement driven and they want to score a touchdown and then that's it, walk away.”

The other key is McMaster President Peter George, he adds. “Peter's contract renewal was vital to the campaign and vital to me personally. I really wanted to do this with Peter renewing his contract and being here when we complete the project, because when I agreed to take this on, I purposely went out and bought a size 11 football kicking shoe for Peter to kick off the football when we open the stadium.”

Finally, he credits the staff involved. “The staff here is just fantastic. The whole athletic and development department is just amazing. One of the things is, when I took this job, I said I may not be the smartest guy; I'm not a university grad, but I can outwork anybody. Now I'm doubting that having worked with them for the last two months. They're challenging me. I'm 58 years old and I'm telling you, I may regret making that statement.”

For more information on the Campaign visit http://www.mcmastersportsplex.ca/