Peter Ueberroth

Peter Ueberroth. President, Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee. , Peter V. Ueberroth was the president of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee. The 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games revitalized the Olympic movement, introduced first-time women's events, influenced the development of para-athletes, and created new models for organizing and funding the world's premier sports event. , Born in 1937 in Evanston, Illinois, Ueberroth grew up in California, attending Fremont High School, where he competed in football, baseball and swimming. Ueberroth majored in business and played water polo at his alma mater, San Jose State University. , Ueberroth worked in the travel industry before founding what became First Travel Corporation, which grew to be the nation's second largest travel company. The LAOOC hired Ueberroth, at age 41, on March 26, 1979. , The LAOOC, under Ueberroth's leadership, relied exclusively on private funding. More than 6,800 athletes from 140 countries attended the 1984 Olympic Games, competing in 221 events in 21 medal sports, plus two demonstration sports. The games produced a surplus of $232.5 million, which was divided between the United States Olympic Committee and Southern California's LA84 Foundation. The foundation, which has helped millions of young people to participate in sports, is a legacy of Ueberroth's leadership and vision. , The International Olympic Committee recognized Ueberroth's achievement, awarding him the Gold Olympic Order. Time magazine named him Person of the Year in 1984. , Following the 1984 Olympic Games, Ueberroth remained active in sports, business and civic life, serving on or leading a wide range of local, national and international boards and commissions. Ueberroth became the sixth Commissioner of Baseball in 1984, a position he held until 1989. As commissioner, he increased Major League Baseball's television revenue and oversaw record attendance. From 2004 to 2008, Ueberroth served as the chair of the USOC Board of Directors, later renamed the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee.