[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 196 (Wednesday, November 18, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1048-E1049]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF THE ``FATHER OF THE FINAL FOUR'' TOM 
                               JERNSTEDT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SUSAN W. BROOKS

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 18, 2020

  Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life 
and legacy of Thomas Walter Jernstedt, a National Collegiate Athletic 
Association (NCAA) legend and tireless advocate for men and women 
student athletes across the country. Tom was known for many things in 
his career and life, including being referred to as the ``Father of the 
Final Four.'' I join Tom's family, friends, colleagues and athletes 
across the country in mourning the loss of this great man who passed 
away on September 5, 2020.
  Tom was born on November 24, 1944, in Carlton, Oregon. Tom attended 
Yamhill-Carlton High School, where he was an all-state athlete in three 
sports: football, basketball and baseball. On top of his incredible 
athletic ability, he was also elected student body

[[Page E1049]]

president. Upon his graduation, Tom attended the University of Oregon 
on a football scholarship, where he was again elected student body 
president. He graduated in 1967 with a degree in political science and 
went on to receive a master's in education in 1973. He worked as an 
events manager at his alma mater until he accepted a full-time position 
as director of events for the NCAA.
  Tom spent the next 38 years working for the NCAA, as a leader and 
passionate administrator. According to his colleagues and those who 
worked closely with Tom, he was known to make time for everyone. He was 
thoughtful, respectable, likeable, honest and a silent power. He is 
credited with turning the college basketball championship into what it 
is today, a massive event with fans all around the world and a multi-
billion dollar television contract.
  The City of lndianapolis benefited greatly from having a leader like 
Tom in the sports world. He was influential in moving the NCAA 
headquarters from Kansas City, Missouri to the City of Indianapolis in 
1999. Tom not only assisted in making March Madness what it is, he was 
key in helping the City of Indianapolis host the Final Four. 
Indianapolis has hosted seven NCAA Men's Basketball Final Fours and 
three NCAA Women's Final Fours in its history and is scheduled to host 
the 2021 and 2026 men's finals as well. Tom was very friendly to the 
City of Indianapolis in many ways, generating events, promoting the 
city and, according to his friends, there was never a young person who 
was interested in a career in sports that Tom would not take under his 
wing.
  Tom received numerous awards throughout his lifetime including being 
inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017. He received 
the John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001 for his outstanding 
lifetime dedication to basketball, and the University of Oregon honored 
him with the Distinguished Alumnus Award. The National Collegiate 
Basketball Hall of Fame enshrined Tom as a contributor to the game, and 
in 2017, he was awarded Indiana's highest civilian honor, the Sagamore 
of the Wabash. Posthumously, Tom was inducted into the Oregon Sports 
Hall of Fame this year.
  Though it is obvious Tom had a huge impact on the world of sports, it 
is said that his greatest joys were in his personal life. He was a 
loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, cousin and true 
friend. In speaking with Tom's friends, there is one consistent theme 
that they all mention. Tom was a wonderful friend who would stop at 
nothing to help those he cared about. He loved playing golf and 
watching all sporting events with his family and friends. Though he 
loved all sports, he remained a loyal fan of his Oregon Ducks, rarely 
missing an event involving his university. Based on this long-term 
commitment, the University of Oregon has established the Tom Jernstedt 
Student Athlete Scholarship.
  I am honored to stand today and memorialize Tom. He was a man of 
character and class, constantly putting the wants and needs of others 
before his own. I join his family and many friends as well as countless 
student-athletes in mourning the loss of Tom Jernstedt.

                          ____________________