NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Infiniti donated more than $1 million as part of the brand’s ongoing corporate partnership with NCAA® Division I men’s basketball and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). Randy Parker, vice president of Infiniti Americas, presented the checks to the winners at Infiniti Americas headquarters in Tennessee.
Coach Matt Painter and the Purdue Boilermakers fans won the annual Infiniti Coaches’ Charity Challenge, the first time the coach and school have won. Coach Painter’s chosen charity, the Smith BReaK Thru Fund, received a check for $100,000. Infiniti donated another $267,500 to various philanthropic organizations that were individually selected by the other NABC coaches in the Infiniti Coaches’ Charity Challenge.
“We’re honored to continue our support of the Coaches’ Charity Challenge, the NABC and the American Cancer Society through Coaches vs. Cancer,” said Parker. “Coach Painter and the Purdue Boilermakers did a wonderful job rallying to win the Challenge in support of the Smith BReaK Thru Fund. We’re proud to make a donation to such a deserving organization.”
Now in its fifth year, Infiniti continued its support of the NABC with a donation of $731,500 to Coaches vs. Cancer, a nationwide collaboration between the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the NABC. As the largest corporate donator for Coaches vs. Cancer, Infiniti pledged to make a charitable contribution to the program each time a fan participated in the Infiniti sponsored Coaches vs. Cancer Round by Round bracket game during March Madness®.
Other distinguished guests at this year’s celebration included Allyson Witherspoon, director Marketing Communications and Media, Infiniti USA; Rick Barnes, head coach, University of Tennessee; Rob Youle, National Chair of the Board, American Cancer Society; Devron Edwards, vice president of NCAA Partnerships at CBS Sports; Jim Haney, Executive Director for NABC; and representatives of the Smith Break Thru Fund.
About Infiniti
Infiniti Motor Company Ltd. is headquartered in Hong Kong with sales operations in over 50 countries. The Infiniti brand was launched in 1989. Its range of premium automobiles is currently built in manufacturing facilities in Japan, the United States and China. Production in the UK will start in 2015, bringing with it significant expansion of the brand’s portfolio. Infiniti plans to also expand manufacturing into Mexico by 2017.
As the Title Partner and Vehicle Performance Partner of Infiniti Red Bull Racing, Infiniti has a far-reaching technical collaboration with the four-time FIA Formula One World Championship winning Team.
More information about Infiniti, its Total Ownership Experience® and its industry leading technologies can be found at www.infinitiusa.com. For the latest news on Infiniti, visit www.infinitinews.com, “Like” Infiniti on Facebook, and follow the brand on Twitter @infinitiusa.
About NCAA
The NCAA is a membership-led nonprofit association of colleges and universities committed to supporting academic and athletic opportunities for more than 400,000 student-athletes at more than 1,000 member colleges and universities. Each year, more than 54,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA championships in Divisions I, II and III sports.
Visit www.ncaa.org and www.ncaa.com for more details about the Association, its goals and members and corporate partnerships that help support programs for student-athletes. [NCAA, Final Four and March Madness are trademarks owned or licensed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.]
About the National Association of Basketball Coaches
Located in Kansas City, Missouri, the NABC was founded in 1927 by Forrest "Phog" Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as Guardians of the Game. The NABC currently has nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men's basketball coaches. All members of the NABC are expected to uphold the core values of being a Guardian of the Game by bringing attention to the positive aspects of the sport of basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and athletic lives of today's student-athletes.
The four core values of being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and education. Additional information about the NABC, its programs and membership, can be found at www.nabc.org.
About Coaches vs. Cancer
Coaches vs. Cancer is a nationwide collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) that empowers basketball coaches, their teams, and local communities to make a difference in the fight against cancer. The program leverages the personal experiences, community leadership, and professional excellence of basketball coaches nationwide to increase cancer awareness and promote healthy living through year-round awareness efforts, fundraising activities, and advocacy programs. Since 1993, the initiative has raised more than $80 million dollars to fund groundbreaking research, provide up-to-date cancer literacy, advocate for public health policies and deliver services to improve the quality of life for patients and their families. To learn more, visit www.coachesvscancer.org
