Patrick McClenahan, who ran the remarkably successful 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles last summer, has been named the 2015 Sports Executive of the Year by the L.A. Sports Council. He will be honored at the 11th Annual LA Sports Awards, to be held on Thursday, February 25 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel.
The World Games, known as LA 2015, brought together 6,163 athletes from 164 nations, the largest gathering of nations ever for a sporting event in the history of Los Angeles. During the event, an unprecedented 247,247 spectators attended the opening and closing ceremonies and 25 sports competitions taking place over 9 days at 23 venue sites spread across Greater Los Angeles.
In addition to serving as LA 2015 President and CEO, McClenahan also led the successful international bid to bring the Games to Los Angeles. Over the next four years he then led the effort to attract the team of sponsors, donors, staff and volunteers that made the event possible, including negotiating the first-ever World Games global broadcast agreement with ESPN, which included live coverage of the Opening Ceremony at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
McClenahan made it the mission of LA 2015 to create awareness that leads to acceptance and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities. Through the power of sport, the Special Olympics World Games succeeded in transforming the lives of the Special Olympics athletes as well as the hearts and minds of all who witnessed their courage, determination, and joy.
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